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discoverbritainmag.co.uk

JUNE/JULY 2015 ISSUE 186

Scottish Highlands Into the countryside of Macbeth and Nessie

Stonehenge to the Globe Our obsession with round buildings

Richmond The town shaped by Norman Conquest

Maritime heritage

Cavalier spirit

Liverpool’s legacy

English Civil War in Newark

Somerset Levels

Wonderful wildlife, myths and a famous music festival

£4.50

PLUS Top five British beaches; Amy Johnson, heroine of the skies; tennis at Eastbourne

Enter the code “DISCOVER” on our website to receive on 10% discountle best availab room rates

Style History Elegance Sophistication Exuding modern luxury with a historic twist, the Courthouse Hotel London is one of the most unique 5-star hotels In London. Once a famous magistrates court, the hotel seamlessly blends quirky original fixtures with contemporary design features throughout 116 rooms and suites. Experience the vibrant Soho Sky Terrace or VIP prison cells in The Bar, dine at the Michelin-recommended Silk restaurant in the former no.1 courtroom or the colourful Carnaby brasserie and unwind in style with a private screening in the 94-seat cinema or an exotic spa treatment at Sanook Spa.

19-21 Great Marlborough St., London W1F 7HL I Tel: +44 (0) 20 7297 5555 I Fax: +44 (0) 20 7297 5566

www.courthouse-hotel.com

J U N E / J U LY 2 015

Contents 82

66 54 34 23

24

24

SOMERSET LEVELS

Stephen Moss visits this rolling landscape of diverse beauty

42

BARBOUR

Discover enduring designs as we take a closer look at the history of this celebrated clothing brand

46

CIRCULAR BUILDINGS

Nik Rawlinson admires England’s round buildings from Stonehenge to Shakespeare’s Globe

FEATURES 54

CUNARD LINE ANNIVERSARY

David Atkinson visits Liverpool to explore its maritime history and mark the 175th anniversary of Cunard’s transatlantic liners

34 NEWARK

Nottinghamshire’s newest visitor attraction, the National Civil War Centre, defines the events of this historic English conflict

60

60

EASTBOURNE TENNIS

As the tennis season begins, why not take in the action from a courtside spot at Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club. Plus, enter our competition to win a three-night break in Eastbourne with Centre Court tickets to the tennis

66

RICHMOND CASTLE

Sheena Harvey uncovers tales of Norman Conquest, an imposing fortress and scenes painted by JMW Turner around the ancient Yorkshire market town of Richmond discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 3

J U N E / J U LY 2 015

72

91

DAYS OUT

Windsor Castle’s Waterloo exhibition, top beaches to laze upon and Sir Edward Heath’s former home, Arundells

REGULARS

INVERNESS-SHIRE Try and spot Nessie from Urquhart Castle on the edge of Loch Ness

82

16

REVIEWS

The latest books and DVDs on Britain

23

WHY INVERNESS-SHIRE?

Home to countless castles, the Cairngorms National Park and a malt whisky trail, why not?

THE INTERN

Helen Ochyra joins viticulturist Jac Evans at Llaethliw vineyard in West Wales, where award-winning wines are produced and enjoyed

84

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCES

98

Our selection of things to see and do, from Loch Ness to Culloden Battlefield

GREAT BRITISH ADVENTURERS

87

93

COMPETITION

Win a luxury two-night break for two at The Grant Arms Hotel in the Highlands

17

WIN

A LU X U R Y S T MANCHESTAEY IN SEE PAGE 15R

Remembering the bravery of pioneering aviator Amy Johnson CBE, the first woman Jo tto complete a solo flight from Britain to Australia

98

72

DEPARTMENTS

07

EDITOR’S NOTE

08 11 NEWS 17

LETTERS

WHAT’S ON

97

CROSSWORD

ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES; ROBERT HARDING

ESCAPE

Contentss

LUNDY

THE UNIQUE ISLAND EXPERIENCE

It is difficult to pin down why Lundy Island has such an effect on people... It is true that Lundy is different from any other island and that it is in a wonderful part of the country, situated off the coast of North Devon. Why not take a short break and stay in one of Lundy’s lovingly restored buildings. These offer visitors an extraordinary range in which to stay, from a thirteenth century castle, a late Georgian gentleman’s residence, Lighthouse, Admiralty Lookout and Fisherman’s Chalet. In all twenty three individual properties are available. Summer is a gorgeous time to visit the island of Lundy. We have now made it easier to do so by having shorter summer breaks, as well as weekly stays. The Voyage to Lundy – Is on the Islands own passenger and supply vessel, MS Oldenburg, carrying both day and staying visitors from Bideford or Ilfracombe. MS Oldenburg is a handsome and graceful vessel, fast and comfortable. The ship sails three times a week during the summer season.

For further information & bookings Tel: 01271 863636 or visit www.lundyisland.co.uk

Editor’s Note

Discover Britain, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB Tel: 01242 264 754 [email protected] www.discoverbritainmag.com EDITORIAL Editor Sheena Harvey Deputy Editor Vicky Sartain Staff Writer Angharad Moran Art Editor Jeremy Bird ADVERTISING Account Manager Daniel Martin Tel: 01242 264 781; [email protected] Account Manager Amy Stokes Tel: 01242 264 785; [email protected] MANAGEMENT Managing Director Paul Dobson Deputy Managing Director Steve Ross Commercial Director Vicki Gavin Publisher Simon Temlett Digital Marketing Manager James Dobson Circulation Manager William Delmont ONLINE Digital Product Manager Oliver Morley-Norris Digital Marketing Co-ordinator Andreea Dragoi Digital Executive Scarlett Lill Digital Marketing Executive Jennifer Cruickshank PRINTING William Gibbons Ltd SUBSCRIPTIONS UK Discover Britain, CDS Global, Sovereign Park, Market Harborough LE16 9EF Tel: 0844 848 8053, Fax: 01858 434 958 Subscription rates: Subscribe for one year for £33 (6 issues) or for two years (12 issues) for £66 BACK ISSUES £4.50. Tel: 020 7349 3700 PUBLISHING OFFICE The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd, Jubilee House, 2 Jubilee Place, London SW3 3TQ Tel: 020 7349 3700, Fax: 020 7349 3701 Email: [email protected] Printed in England ISSN 0950-5245 News distribution: Seymour, 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT. Tel: 020 7429 4000

ALAN HARVEY

© The Chelsea Magazine Company Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. Text and pictures are copyright restricted and must not be reproduced without permission of the publishers. The information in Discover Britain has been published in good faith and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. However, where appropriate, you are advised to check prices, opening times and dates, etc, before making final arrangements. All liability for loss, disappointment, negligence or damage caused by reliance on the information within this publication is hereby excluded. The opinions expressed by the contributors of Discover Britain are not necessarily those of the publisher. www.chelseamagazines.com

On the cover: Dundon Hill, Compton Dundon on the Somerset Levels, seen from Gilling Down. Photo by Stephen Spraggon/Alamy

Welcome

MUCH OF THE HISTORY OF THE THREE COUNTRIES

that make up Great Britain has been defined by struggles for supremacy between internal political factions, from the clans of Scotland to the gentry of the English counties. These wars have left their legacy across the land in the form of evocative battlefields and castles that have nothing to do with defending our people from invading outsiders. In this issue we visit the sites of some of these major conflicts. Representing the 11th-century disputes between the supporters of the new Norman regime and those of the old Anglo-Saxon nobility, there is Richmond Castle (see page 66). The struggle between the Royalists and the Cavaliers in the English Civil War is epitomised by Charles I’s stronghold of Newark, Nottinghamshire, with its mighty castle. This was ordered to be destroyed by Oliver Cromwell but still has walls standing today. A new museum has now opened to commemorate those times (turn to page 34). The Somerset Levels, that famous haven of wildlife and location of the mystical Glastonbury Tor, also hosted the last pitched battle on English soil, between the armies of the Catholic King James II and his Protestant illegitimate nephew, the Duke of Monmouth (see page 24). Further forward in time and much further north we visit the Highlands around Inverness for the site of the very last battle to be fought on British soil – between the exhausted Jacobite forces of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the much fresher troops of the English Duke of Cumberland in 1746 (see page 85).

SHEENA HARVEY Editor

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 7

Mail

Your words

Let us know your thoughts on the magazine. The writer of each letter published receives a prize A NICE SURPRISE

I was amazed to read about Fair Isle (The Fairest Isle of All, April/May 2015) and the small community of people living there. The images in your magazine made it look like an island paradise but I’m not sure I could live such a cut-off lifestyle, nor would I have the skills that the islanders seem to have in turning their hand to whatever task faces them! They must be commended for their community spirit, but I’m sure the beauty of the island outweighs the difficulties of living in such a place. MARK JOHNSON, BY EMAIL

JANET HARDING, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

VITAL STATISTICS You reported that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ‘have spent an estimated £1.5m putting their stamp’ on their new home (A Royal Address, February/March 2015). The UK Department for Communities and Local Government reported 13,900 statutorily homeless households 1 July – 30 September 2014. Something is wrong with priorities! DR S SCHOEMAN, NEW JERSEY, USA

From the editor: Email us with your thoughts at [email protected] Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/discoverbritainmag and Twitter at @We_love_Britain

HOT PROPERTIES It was lovely to read about the history of the Landmark Trust and the interesting collection of buildings it cares for (Landmark Occasion, April/May 2015). My husband and I have already stayed in a couple of the Landmark Trust’s holiday lets and we will hopefully be adding to that list before too long with a stay at one of its smaller properties in Wales. It’s encouraging to hear that even more places with a huge amount of history behind them are about to be saved by the Trust, as we might otherwise lose these charming sites to more modern developments. MRS D JENKINS, POOLE

HEROIC PRESUMPTION I enjoyed the new page at the back of your magazine about great British adventurers (Dr Livingstone, I presume, April/May 2015). I presume (hope) you will be covering more heroic figures in future issues. JAMES CHAPMAN, BY EMAIL

Email: Get in touch at: [email protected] Write: Please write to Letters to the Editor, Discover Britain, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB. We welcome your letters, but reserve the right to edit them. Please include a daytime telephone number and, if emailing, a postal address (this will not be published).

8 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

GETTY IMAGES; ROGER ERITJA / ROBERTHARDING; LANDMARK TRUST

FAIR ASSESSMENT

Although I’ve been hugely enjoying the BBC’s new series of Poldark, I had no idea one of the main filming locations can be found in the county where I live until I read an article on your website! (Gloucestershire’s Chavenage House doubles as Poldark’s Trenwith, www. discoverbritain mag.com). It’s a shame the house isn’t open to visitors all year round, but I will be making a trip there soon.

News June/July The latest news, tours, discoveries and places to visit DISCOVER MORE ON OUR WEBSITE DISCOVERBRITAINMAG.COM

ARCHAEOLOGY

Medieval marvel Rare devotional panel now on display at Museum of London

RESTORATION

GRAND PLANS

New Alexandra Park and Palace redevelopment project will focus on areas of the historic palace that have been derelict for over 30 years The Victorian theatre and BBC Studios at Alexandra Palace are just two of the areas that will be regenerated with the help of new funding. The BBC studios were the birthplace of high-definition television broadcasts in 1936 and will now be turned into an interactive attraction where visitors can learn more about the art of making TV programmes. The Palace’s Victorian hidden theatre dates back to 1875 and is set to play host to theatrical performances and cinema screenings once the new project is completed in 2018. www.alexandrapalace.com

Archaeologists from MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology) have discovered a medieval panel in remarkable condition by the River Thames. The Thomas, Earl of Lancaster panel depicts the capture, trial and execution of this political rebel turned martyr, who tried to force Edward II to reform his government. After Thomas’s execution in 1322 miracles began to take place around his tomb. The panel, cast in metal and approx 130mm x 90mm, is a fascinating piece of political propaganda and religious art. Sophie Jackson, MOLA archaeologist, says: “It’s thanks to the wet ground of the Thames waterfront that this beautiful metal object survived in such remarkable condition. It reveals a great deal about the political climate of the day.” The panel is now on display at the Museum of London until 28 September 2015. www.museumoflondon.org.uk

NEW TOUR

Golden opportunity A new £7.7m visitor centre will include the creation of an interactive museum experience that will explore The Royal Mint’s prestigious history. Visitors will also be able to take a unique tour of the facility, the first time the site has ever officially opened its doors to the public in its 1,100-year history. Among highlights of the purpose-built centre will be the chance to ‘strike your own coin’. The project is due to be completed in spring 2016. www.royalmint.com

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 11

News

In brief War paint

A collection of humorous cartoons by William Heath Robinson has been saved for the nation, including many of his most well-known First and Second World War drawings and paintings. One of the leading illustrators of his day, Heath Robinson was famous for his drawings of complicated contraptions. During both World Wars his ironic and bizarre depictions of conflict and gentle satire of public figures were extremely popular. The William Heath Robinson Trust has been able to acquire 410 drawings and paintings, due to go on public display in Greater London from April 2016. www.westhousepinner.com

RESTORATION

ADDED EXTRAS

Writing history

New £17m restoration project will see County Durham’s impressive Auckland Castle restored to its former glory A two-storey extension, remodelling of the 16th-century Scotland Wing and an immersive new museum experience will be introduced as part of the work to be carried out at Auckland Castle, the 800-year-old former palace of the Prince Bishops of Durham. The new extension will be designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects and will reflect the castle’s religious background, echoing wooden Anglo Saxon churches of the 6th and 7th centuries. Meanwhile, the new museum will look at man’s relationship with belief across the British Isles. Planning consent has also been granted for a new welcome building that will offer panoramic views across the surrounding area. The renovation project forms part of a wider heritage-led social regeneration initiative for the North East. www.aucklandcastle.org

The desk on which Great Expectations, Our Mutual Friend and The Mystery of Edwin Drood were written is now on show at the former London home of Charles Dickens. The desk was passed through the Dickens family after the author’s death, before being auctioned for the Great Ormond Street Charitable Trust. The desk now takes pride of place at the Charles Dickens Museum. www.dickensmuseum.com

Take to the water

A kickstarter campaign has been launched to try and raise funds for the Thames Baths project. If successful, the project will section off a small part of the River Thames in London to create a new natural lido where the public will be able to swim safely. To donate towards the scheme, visit www.thamesbaths.com

RESTORATION

Timeless classic Queen’s House in Greenwich to undergo refurbishment in time for 400th anniversary Queen’s House in Greenwich will be closing to the public on 27 July 2015 in order to undergo refurbishment and is due to reopen on 4 July 2016 in time to mark its 400th anniversary. Designed by Inigo Jones in 1616 for Anne of Denmark, wife of James I, the Queen’s House was the first classical building in the country. Following the refurbishment, visitors will be able to see Orazio Gentileschi’s Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife painting (left) displayed in the building for the first time since 1650. www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house 12 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

CONSERVATION

Towering success National Trust for Scotland acquires first new property in seven years The 14th-century Alloa Tower in Clackmannanshire is the latest property to be acquired by The National Trust for Scotland. The Tower is the ancestral home of the Erskine family, the Earls of Mar and Kellie. It is the largest, oldest keep in Scotland and was originally built to guard the nearby ferry crossing on the River Forth. www.nts.org.uk GALLERY

BREATHING SPACE York Art Gallery is to be transformed to include more exhibition space and will house major touring displays for the first time New commissions, Old Masters and more than 2,000 ceramic works will feature in York Art Gallery’s new displays of designated collections when it reopens on 1 August 2015. Two new spaces on the first floor will become the Centre of Ceramic Art, which will be home to the largest collection of British studio ceramics in the world. The new centre will include a 17-metre-long ‘Wall of Pots’, which will be displayed by colour to create a rainbow effect, as well as a major new commission by renowned ceramist Clare Twomey. The development will also include an artists’ garden created at the rear of the gallery in a space previously closed to the public, linking to the existing York Museum Gardens. Jennifer Alexander, curator of art, says: “For the opening displays we wanted to show off the strength of our permanent collections, while combining this with significant loans and thought-provoking commissions.” www.yorkartgallery.org.uk

ATTRACTION

Turn back time The National Trust’s Upton House in Warwickshire turns back the clock to 1939 when the Bearsted family moved out and their merchant bank moved in During 2015-16 12 rooms within Upton House will recreate a compelling picture of what life was like at the property during the Second World War, when, driven by the need to protect staff and assets from the London air raids, the family-owned bank took over the elegant mansion. The move was at the forefront of Government planning before war was even announced, with the Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding the banking sector be resilient enough to withstand threats to London from expected air raids. Visitors to Upton House and Gardens are transported back to wartime Britain and can discover where bank staff slept in shared dormitories; where armed servicemen guarded prisoners of war working in the grounds, and where the typing pool staff worked surrounded by some of the nation’s most treasured works of art in the long gallery. It is the first time this episode in the property’s history has been fully relayed to visitors. Rachel O’Connor-Boyd, Upton House Collections Manager, comments: “This is a fascinating story and a significant part of the history of Upton House. The story and the impact on the lives of those involved deserves to be told.” www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ upton-house

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 13

News HOTEL

LIFE OF LUXURY A Victorian sea fort has been inventively transformed into a luxury hotel off the coast of Portsmouth No Man’s Fort was one of four forts built to defend the south coast from French invaders and it has now been converted into a 22-bedroom hotel in a multi-million pound project. The fort joins the smaller Spitbank Fort which was refurbished as a hotel in 2012 and holds eight bedrooms. Facilities at No Man’s include a spa, shops, restaurants, sea golf and rooftop hot tubs. Guests can also enjoy wine tasting, sea kayaking and kite surfing among other activities during their stay on this secluded off-shore escape. www.amazingvenues.co.uk/solent-forts RESEARCH

Bones of contention A ground-breaking research project by the Museum of London hopes to uncover new clues about the nature of disease and how it has affected people as Britain has moved into the age of industrialisation. The museum will use the latest clinical techniques, including digital X-Ray scanning, to get a better understanding of what the bones in its collection tell us and to assess their change over time. www.museumoflondon.org.uk

ARCHIVE

Access all areas Some of Scotland’s most precious and unusual objects – and the stories behind them – can now be accessed at the click of a button. From the Honours of Scotland (royal regalia) to a 15th-century nit comb given as a love token (left), around 400 objects can be viewed in Historic Scotland’s new online gallery. Over 35,000 objects housed in more than 160 properties in Scotland are in the safekeeping of Historic Scotland. This is the first time many of the objects can be viewed outside of their host properties. The new digital archive contains hidden gems from Innerpeffray Chapel near Auchterarder, Arbroath Abbey and Edinburgh Castle among others and can be viewed from a computer or smart phone. The gallery also provides an opportunity to view items not currently on public display. http://collections.historic-scotland.gov.uk 14 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

SEAN ELLIOTT PHOTOGRAPHY; NATIONAL TRUST; NTS; © CROWN COPYRIGHT REPRODUCED COURTESY OF HISTORIC SCOTLAND

Museum of London research examines the historic effects of industrialisation on Londoners

COMPETITION

Win

a night’s stay for two people at Manchester’s stylish new five-star Hotel Gotham, home to all things Gothic and glamorous

MARK LEEMING

THE PRIZE A night’s B&B for two people at Hotel Gotham, in a classic double or twin, including set menu three-course dinner and bottle of wine.

BY POST: Send your answer, name and contact details to Hotel Gotham competition, Discover Britain magazine, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham GL50 1BB. ONLINE: Visit www.discoverbritainmag.com and click on ‘Competitions & Offers’ to enter the competition online. TERMS & CONDITIONS: Entry closing date 31 August 2015. Prize must be claimed and used by 31 January 2016. Subject to availability. No cash alternative. Any additional costs to be paid by winner. Non-transferable. Employees (and relatives) of The Chelsea Magazine Company are not eligible to enter. Winners’ names may be published. By entering this competition you agree and acknowledge that The Chelsea Magazine Company is permitted to receive your registration data.



P

rolific architect Edwin Lutyens designed the striking bank building, which now houses Hotel Gotham, in 1928, during a boom-time when Manchester was at the forefront of industry. Creating the Modern Classical masterpiece illustrated the prominence and success of a city ‘on the up’, realised in a towering edifice of Portland stone and arched windows. It was the talk of the town when it opened in 1935, and even today, remains one of the region’s most impressive buildings. Painstakingly restored, Hotel Gotham has been transformed from its formal past into a handsome, five-star, 60-room hotel at its central 100 King Street address. Owners, Bespoke Hotels, have set the bar high with the aim of making this ‘fun, witty destination’ the ‘sexiest hotel in Europe’. With lavish interiors evoking film noir intrigue, rooms are suitably decorated in muted colours with Art Deco-inspired features, complete with staff nattily dressed in uniforms inspired by the 1930s. Guests can dine in the top-floor restaurant, lounge in the private bar, or step outside onto the terraces for drinks and to survey the city’s skyline, an even more special experience after dark. Find out more at www.bespokehotels.com/hotelgotham

HOW TO ENTER Which style of architecture is the Hotel Gotham building? A Tudor

B Art Deco



C Jacobean

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Reviews

The latest books and DVDs celebrating Britain’s history KING JOHN: TREACHERY, TYRANNY AND THE ROAD TO MAGNA CARTA Marc Morris, Hutchinson, Hardback, £20

Marking the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, this book follows the rise of King John to gain ultimate power. Discover the truth about the taxes he imposed, his loss of lands in France, and alleged tales of tyranny that led to his subjects turning against him and forcing him to sign the great charter citing that everybody, including the king, was subject to the law. www.randomhouse.co.uk

PITCH UP, EAT LOCAL Ali Ray, AA, Paperback, £16.99 If you think camping means snacking on sandwiches and crisps, think again. Camping devotee Ali Ray shows how to rustle up restaurant-style meals such as pan-fried sea bass, Thai beef salad and paella, on a gastronomic tour. Dishes are chosen for the quality of local ingredients, and useful pages highlight Camping and Caravanning Club sites plus local farm shops. www.theaa.com/shop

THE GOLDEN AGE OF RAILWAY POSTERS Introduced by Michael Palin, Batsford, Hardback, £12.99 Enjoy a dose of nostalgia for the heyday of rail travel in Britain. A combination of clever marketing and talented artists produced a glossy vision of holidays in the UK: of blue-sky destinations, golden beaches and packed lidos. More than 80 vintage posters from the 1930s, 40s and 50s are illustrated, documenting a lost era. www.pavilionbooks.com

DVD WOLF HALL £25 The BBC’s adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s award-winning historical novel brings to life the characters of the Tudor court in a quiet, yet powerful, six-part series. With a spotlight on Henry VIII’s chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, the story details his rise from humble beginnings to become the king’s right-hand man. www.bbcshop.com 16 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

THREE OF A KIND Recharge the batteries on a thrilling outdoor adventure WILD CAMPING Stephen Neale, Bloomsbury, Hardback, £14.99 Tent pole and toilet dramas aside, camping in the wilds is an experience not to be missed, as detailed by Neale. He pinpoints 100 areas where it is still possible to enjoy a restorative, law-abiding night’s sleep, each linked by a walking trail. Neale acts as a signpost, leaving people to find their own perfect pitch. www.bloomsbury.com

WILD NIGHTS: CAMPING BRITAIN’S EXTREMES Phoebe Smith, Summersdale, Paperback, £8.99 Follow the hair-raising adventures of the author, whose problems begin in the opening pages with a near-death experience in an icy Scottish river. Things do improve! Discover the benefits, psychological and physical, of ‘extreme’ camping. www.summersdale.com

WILD SWIMMING WALKS Margaret Dickinson, Wild Things Publishing, Paperback, £14.99 Compiled by the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association, a group that promotes swimming in the lakes on Hampstead Heath, this guide reveals the members’ favourite lesser-known ponds, pools and beaches of southern and eastern England, all easily accessible by train from London. www.wildthingspublishing.com

WHAT’S ON OUR SELECTION OF THE ESSENTIAL EVENTS TAKING PLACE ACROSS BRITAIN IN JUNE & JULY

GREAT BRITISH DRAWINGS

Until 31 August Tracing the history of drawing in Britain, over 100 works by some of the UK’s finest artists will be on show in Great British Drawings, ranging from the 16th century to post-war experimentation with modernism. Ashmolean, Oxford Tel: 01865 278 000; www.ashmolean.org

SOUTH BENEDICT RUBBRA FASHION MUSEUM / BATH & NORTH EAST SOMERSET COUNCIL; NHM, LONDON; ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

Until 2 August Spanning four decades of work, Benedict Rubbra: Eye to Image follows the Devon-based artist’s search for a harmonious relationship between form, colour and light. The works originate from 3D forms constructed from paper, card, wire and wood which then have vibrant shapes of light projected onto them, creating unexpected spaces and colours, tones and shadows. Changed lighting transforms the object’s appearance allowing the creation of further art from a single form. Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter Tel: 01392 265 858; www.rammuseum.org.uk

GREAT NAMES OF FASHION Until 3 January 2016

Bursting at the seams with gowns designed by the likes of Christian Dior, this exhibition resembles the walk-in wardrobe of every girl’s dreams. Great Names of Fashion charts the use of fabric from the 20th century to today.

Fashion Museum, Bath Tel: 01225 477 789; www. fashionmuseum.co.uk

CORAL REEFS

Until 13 September A vibrant underwater world is revealed in Coral Reefs: Secret Cities of the Sea, with over 200 specimens displayed, from tiny sponge crabs to giant Turbinaria coral. Look out for specimens originally collected by Charles Darwin on the HMS Beagle.

Natural History Museum, London Tel: 020 7942 5000; www.nhm.ac.uk discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 17

Events THE ARTS AND CRAFTS HOUSE

CENTRAL

27 June – 13 September

Beginning with John Ruskin and William Morris, The Arts and Crafts House: Then and Now explores the inspiration behind the movement’s domestic creativity to craft the perfect home. Celebrated figures, such as Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll, feature alongside today’s leading designers. Compton Verney, Warwickshire Tel: 01926 645 500; www.comptonverney.org.uk

GREAT EXHIBITION 27 June – 27 September

A range of rare items linked to Lincolnshire’s history go on display to celebrate Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary as part of Lincolnshire’s Great Exhibition. The exhibition draws from private, national and international collections to tell the story of the county with the help of principle sponsor The David Ross Foundation.

The Collection, Lincoln Tel: 01522 782 040; www.thecollectionmuseum.com

FRANCIS BACON

View major works by Francis Bacon alongside old and modern masters, including Rembrandt, Titian, Picasso, Michelangelo and Van Gogh. Francis Bacon and the Masters reveals Bacon’s obsession with the art of the past, such as ancient Greek and Roman works.

FLYING LEGENDS 11-12 July

Enjoy world-class, choreographed displays featuring unique aircraft types rarely seen together in the UK skies or anywhere else. Flying Legends Air Show culminates in the finale Balbo formation with all the WWII fighters taking to the sky.

IWM Duxford, Cambridge Tel: 01223 835 000; www.iwm.org.uk

18 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Salisbury Centre for Visual Arts, Norfolk Tel: 01603 593 199; www.scva.ac.uk

THE ESTATE OF FRANCIS BACON. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, DACS 2015; RIBA

Until 26 July

FLOWER SHOW

22-26 July

With three zones dedicated to gardens and plants that reflect the themes Grow, Inspire and Feast, this year’s RHS Flower Show Tatton Park has plenty to offer. Whether you’re interested in growing your own fruit and vegetables, getting tips from RHS specialists, or creating spectacular floral displays, a wealth of expertise and inspiration can be found throughout this annual Cheshire show.

Tatton Park, Cheshire Tel: 01625 374 400; www.rhs.org.uk

NORTH

LAURA DE SANTILLANA AND ALESSANDRO DIAZ DE SANTILLANA

Until 6 September

Venice-based sibling artists Laura de Santillana and Alessandro Diaz de Santillana are descendants of the Venini glassware dynasty, established in Murano in 1921. See their sculptural forms in glass in their first UK show.

Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield Tel: 01924 832 631; www.ysp.co.uk

ADAM STANFORD; NATIONAL MUSEUMS LIVERPOOL; RHS

MAKING MONUMENTS ON RAPA NUI

Until 6 September The huge stone statues of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) are some of the world’s most widely recognised archaeological objects. Making Monuments on Rapa Nui: The Statues from Easter Island looks at how the statues were made, the role they played in the lives of the islanders, how they were quarried and transported, and what they mean. Exhibition visitors can also view Moai Hava, a statue collected from Rapa Nui in 1868. Manchester Museum, University of Manchester. Tel: 0161 275 2648; www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

PICTURING VENICE

Until 27 September

With the works of Turner, Sickert, Brangwyn and more on show, Picturing Venice celebrates the popularity of this historic Italian city as well as the developments of European art between the 17th and 20th centuries. View the city’s remarkable architecture through the eyes of the masters.

Lady Lever Art Gallery, Liverpool Tel: 0151 478 4136; www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/ladylever discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 19

Events MUSICAL EISTEDDFOD

6-12 July

SCOTLAND & WALES

More than just a renowned choral music festival, Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is a celebration of music, dance, costume and culture from nations around the world. Evening concerts range from performances by Burt Bacharach and Gareth Malone’s Voices choir to the sounds of South America along with music from screen and stage.

Llangollen, Denbighshire Tel: 01978 862 001; www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

JAPANESE PORCELAIN

Until 30 August

This small exhibition takes a look at the giants of the Japanese ceramic industry. In 1890 the Japanese government instigated the Imperial Household Artists system to recognise and support mature artists who had achieved a level of success within their respective crafts. Masters of Japanese Porcelain highlights the ceramics works of such artists formed over half a century. National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh Tel: 0300 123 6789; www.nms.ac.uk/ national-museum-of-scotland

JOUST!

20-21 June

Get swept up in the excitement of this medieval Joust! event with galloping horses, parades, stunts and fierce competition. Cheer for your favourite knight in shining armour as The Knights of Royal England put on a spectacular display amid a merry mix of fanfares and frivolity!

NATIONAL AIRSHOW 25 July

Barrel rolls and loop the loops will be in abundance as aircraft from all eras take to the skies along with the RAF’s Red Arrows who will be wowing the crowds with their daring aerobatic flight displays. View the RAF’s supersonic Typhoon, a powerful combat aircraft that can fly at twice the speed of sound, and other iconic heritage aircraft at Scotland’s National Airshow.

National Museum of Flight, East Lothian Tel: 0300 123 6789; www.nms.ac.uk 20 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

ERIC RAY DAVIDSON; NATIONAL MUSEUMS SCOTLAND

Cardiff Castle, Wales Tel: 029 2087 8100; www.cardiffcastle.com

Q&A SHOES: PLEASURE AND PAIN V&A, LONDON 13 JUNE – 31 JANUARY 2016

CURATOR: HELEN PERSSON Follow 2,000 years of footwear fashion at the V&A’s latest exhibition. From ancient Egyptian sandals to the colourful – and sometimes wacky – creations of contemporary designers, including Sophia Webster, Christian Dior and Dolce and Gabbana, discover the social significance of shoes across different cultures throughout history.

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON; IMAGE COURTESTY OF UNITED NUDE

Q Why shoes? We seem to be quite obsessed about shoes, there’s always something in the papers and the media and I got intrigued thinking about why we are obsessed with them. Going through the V&A collection I realised that this is not something new. It’s always been there in nearly all cultures all over the world. Shoes have a very important significance in the social hierarchy, in how you express yourself and how they identify the wearers’ position in society. It’s a long-standing obsession that’s been going on for centuries. Q Where do the shoes on display come from? The exhibition features around 270 pairs of shoes, both men’s and women’s, spanning 2,000 years of shoe history across the world; from Japan, China and the Middle East to Europe and native American. Many of the shoes have never been on display. In addition we have generous loans from private collections around the world. Q How do the men’s shoes compare to the women’s? Some of the men’s shoes are much more spectacular than the women’s shoes. For example, we have a pair of Prada men’s golf shoes. They are called golf shoes, but I would love

to see the man wearing those shoes playing golf as they are heavily studded with crystals, glass beads and studs, so men like their fancy footwear as well. You see it from the beginning of time, shoes have status indications and men have been the power players since historical times. Q What is the earliest shoe on display? The earliest shoe is a sandal from the late Pharaonic period, Egypt. It’s the earliest flip flop really, with near pure gold leaf decoration. Q Do you have a favourite pair? At the moment it’s a pair of Indian platform sandals, called Padukas, in pure silver with gold toe knobs. They are quite high and were used by the bride at the wedding ceremony to raise her above the crowd so everybody can see her beauty and luxurious clothing. They also have little bells on them, so the crowd would hear her if she got lost! Q Are there any enduring designs? Different periods have different fashionable styles, but it seems to be

that the idea of wanting to stand out or having the best, most fashionable or most extreme shoe designs has always been there across different cultures. The more decorative or opulent they are, the better! From ancient Egypt to 3D printed shoes and flat pack shoes that you can assemble at home, it seems to be a shoe is a shoe, it doesn’t change through history. If you look at the corset, we don’t wear those any more, but we still insist on wearing restricting or impractical shoes, which is really interesting. I can’t see a change there at all. Q What can we learn from shoes? Shoes are surprisingly complex – it’s an interesting social history behind them. They’re not just frivolous girls’ dreams; they have a very complex history and we seem to have a complex relationship with them. They link the human drive to elevate themselves and stand out in a crowd across different cultures. V&A, Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL; Tel: 020 7942 2000; www.vam.ac.uk discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 21

“…the loveliest square mile in Lakeland”– Alfred Wainwright MBE (1907-1991) The Borrowdale Gates Hotel, a privately owned 4 star hotel considered a hidden gem in the Borrowdale Valley. Stunning Borrowdale Valley views to be seen from the beautiful contemporary bedrooms and gorgeous terrace. Surrounded by first class fell walking country and close to the many attractions of Keswick, Borrowgale Gates Hotel is the ideal get away. PEACE & QUIET COME AS STANDARD

Grange-in-Borrowdale, Keswick, Cumbria CA12 5UQ I 01768 777204 [email protected] I www.borrowdale-gates.com

The Intern

A good vintage HELEN OCHYRA is on a mission to find Britain’s best job. This time she

heads to a vineyard in Wales to help tend the next generation of saplings

DOUGLAAS WHELPDALE

L

laethliw vineyard won an award with their very first crop. “The white won a bronze award with the UK Vineyards Association,” viticulturist Jac Evans tells me. “That was amazing.” Amazing indeed. Just seven years ago this vineyard in West Wales was a grassy field the Evans family rented to a local farmer. Today it is planted with some 5,000 vines, joining a growing number of vineyards around England and Wales to produce quality wines. “There’s always something to do”, says Jac with a smile. “We do everything ourselves. We planted the vines, we prune them, we pick the grapes and cut the grass.” When Jac says ‘we’, he means not only the family but also the local community. People turned up in droves last harvest season to help pick the grapes, he tells me. “Everyone worked really hard, but it was fun. We all had a nice supper together afterwards – with a glass of wine, of course.” I am promised that my day will end with a glass of wine too. And so I happily head out with Jac to help prune the vines. There are seven acres of them and getting them into pre-growingseason shape turns out to involve far

It is spellbinding to think this seemingly barren cane will become a flourishing vine Above: Seven acres of prime Welsh vineyard. Below: Helen assists Jac Evans with pruning and training the young vines

more hacking back than I would have imagined. In fact, we end up with what appears to be little more than a stump. It is spellbinding to think this seemingly barren cane will in just a few months become a flourishing vine. Harvesting takes place in autumn, but the exact timing is down to the vines, or more specifically the sugar level in their grapes. So, can Wales really produce a quality wine? Back in the farmhouse, we taste Llaethliw’s range. The Solaris is a dry and gently perfumed white that would match up to lobster; the Rondo a full-bodied red I can imagine pairing with steak. But the rosé is the real surprise; not at all too sweet, it is delicious, and my personal favourite. So, can I buy some? “We sold out before Christmas last year,” says Jac, “this year we hope to produce more. I’d love to be able to produce 100,000 bottles a year. That’s the plan.” Q

FAST FACTS Open: Llaethliw winery tours will begin this year. Stay: The Harbourmaster (www.harbourmaster.com) in Aberaeron has rooms from £110 B&B. Contact: 01545 571 879; www. llaethliw.co.uk

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 23

Land of the summer people The Somerset Levels are a unique area of vast plains ringed by hills and dotted with ancient settlements, rich in human history and a haven for native wildlife WORDS STEPHEN MOSS

24 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Wonderful views can be enjoyed from Glastonbury Tor

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 25

Somerset Levels

T

he Somerset Levels are a land steeped in history, myth and legend. This is where King Alfred burned the cakes, King Arthur is supposed to be buried, and where – near the village of Westonzoyland on 6 July 1685 – the last pitched battle was fought on English soil, between the supporters of the Duke of Monmouth and troops loyal to King James II. The Levels are also steeped in water and have been in the news more recently for a very different reason: as the site of some of the worst flooding to hit southwest Britain for years, during the winter of 2013-14. Yet this low-lying land is, as the name suggests, regularly flooded – indeed the very name Somerset means ‘land of the summer people’. This refers to the ancient custom of bringing livestock down from the hills in spring and summer to graze on the fertile marshland, following the previous winter’s floods. The geography of the Levels – a flat flood plain surrounded by hills – and this annual

26 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Above: Dawn on inundation give the area a unique Glastonbury Tor, seen landscape. There are big skies, sunlight from the River Brue. reflected off water and pollarded Below: Local staple, willows standing like sentries along Cheddar cheese. the edges of the fields. These fields are Opposite: Cheddar bordered by rhynes, a local word for Gorge on the edge of the Mendip Hills drainage ditches dug over centuries to take the water off the land, and droves: long, wide paths constructed centuries ago to allow farmers to take their animals to market across this soggy, boggy land. For decades, this area was dug to obtain the peat hidden just below the surface. This left ugly scars across the landscape, which soon filled with water. In the past 20 years or so these have been transformed into huge nature reserves; and now the Somerset Levels are rapidly becoming one of the best places in Britain to see a really special range of wetland wildlife. The Levels are surrounded by some of the best-known tourist attractions in Britain. To the north there is Cheddar Gorge, a fabulous rock formation set in the

Slug

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 27

Somerset Levels

Above: The lush Mendip Hills, home to the celebrated green landscape of Cheddar cheese. To the south, bisecting the Somerset Levels. the northern and southern Levels, Right: Glastonbury lie the Polden Hills. To the east is the Festival revellers cathedral city of Wells and the town of Glastonbury, famous for its abbey, tor and bi-annual music festival. And to the west, a little further afield, are the Quantock Hills, Exmoor and the surprisingly less-frequented Somerset coast. You can visit the Somerset Levels for just a day and still get some sense of what makes this little corner of the West Country so special. But a long weekend, or better still a whole week, will let you really get to know this unique part of Britain and discover all its many delights, from history to natural history.

Aiming high The best way to get a perspective on this low-lying land is to climb a high viewpoint. The best-known local landmark is Glastonbury Tor, rising to a height of almost 158m (518ft) above the surrounding landscape, which mostly lies at or just above sea level. The tor is a steep, conical hill easily reached from the town of Glastonbury, with a tower on the summit. This is the only remaining part of a 14th-century church, destroyed during

the Dissolution of the Monasteries in Henry VIII’s turbulent reign. The tor has been a place of pilgrimage – for both religious and pagan visitors – for far longer than this; and they still come today. From the top, on a clear day, you can see over three counties: Dorset and Wiltshire, as well as Somerset. To the northwest, towards Bridgwater Bay, stands Brent Knoll, a landmark alongside the M5, and Crook Peak, on the eastern side of the motorway, both of which also provide excellent views over the surrounding landscape. The smallest, but arguably the most fascinating, viewpoint in the area is the wonderfully named Burrow Mump (meaning ‘hill hill’) by the village of Burrowbridge. This miniature version of Glastonbury Tor may be less than discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 29

Somerset Levels

one-sixth the height of its neighbour, at 24m (79ft), but it nevertheless gives great views over the heart of the Levels, where the most severe flooding occurred.

Watching wildlife If you want to explore the Levels themselves, you are spoilt for choice. South of the Polden Hills, the village of Muchelney with its ruined abbey and the town of Langport are well worth a visit. The nearby Willows and Wetlands Visitor Centre, just outside the village of Stoke St Gregory, has a permanent exhibition on the importance of willow to the 30 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Above: Avalon local area and handmade Marshes at Shapwick willow products for sale. Heath Reserve. If you want to watch Left: Bittern stalk wildlife, head north of their nesting ground the Poldens to the Avalon at Avalon Marshes Marshes, a vast area of former peat diggings now turned into a wetland, owned and run by conservation organisations including the RSPB, Somerset Wildlife Trust and Natural England. This is the site of Britain’s biggest starling roost – made famous by countless appearances on UK TV screens – which takes place each evening from mid-November through to February. It’s also home to Britain’s most varied set of waterbirds, several of which have only recently colonised from mainland Europe. The Avalon Marshes can be reached from two places: at the western end, from the car park at the Peat Moors Visitor Centre; and from further east towards Glastonbury, Ashcott Corner, where there are now two car parks, including a large one just opened by the RSPB. From there you can walk east into the RSPB’s Ham Wall reserve; or west, into Shapwick and Meare Heath reserve, run by Natural England. These effectively make up a single vast wetland, connected by the old Highbridge to

Coates English Willow willows & wetlands visitor centre

Discover and explore a hidden industry ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

The Lemon Tree Coffee House Craft studios and Willow Products Shop Guided Tours Outside Classroom Unique Basket Museum Wetlands Exhibition Willow & Wetlands Walks

the place to stay

TR AY ENOND DAY PM EE N M TUR 5:00 FR PE SA TO O TO AM 30 9:

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Charles and Allison Crisp welcome you to Town Mills in the heart of the country town of Dulverton which is the southern entrance to Exmoor National Park. This charming converted mill house built in 1780 retains many of the original features making Town Mills a delightful place to stay. There are 5 restaurants within a two minute walk including Woods which has been DZDUGHGWKHEHVWZLQHSXELQWKH8.IRUHDFKRIWKHODVWÀYH\HDUV

Meare Green Court, Stoke St Gregory, Taunton, TA3 6HY www.englishwillowbaskets.co.uk

E: [email protected] T: + 44 (0)1398 323 124

www.townmillsdulverton.co.uk

Bridgwater Guy Fawkes Carnival Saturday 7th November 2015 www.bridgwatercarnival.org.uk

410th anniversary of the Gunpowder Plot and the failed attempt of Guy Fawkes to blow up the Houses of Parliament. Ever since the conspirator was discovered by guards of King James 1 on that cold November night, the Somerset town of Bridgwater has celebrated his failure in its own unique way. Some 50 or so carnival carts, each lit by thousands of lights, wind their way through the centre of this historic Somerset town, creating an explosive atmosphere of light, sound and movement.

Full day of entertainment for all the family.

View the carnival parade in the comfort of one of our all-seater grandstands. Book your grandstand seats now from our online shop. Park & Ride available.

Follow us on

Somerset Levels

Glastonbury railway line, now a wide and easily accessible path for cyclists and pedestrians. From the western end of the old railway line, near the Peat Moors Visitor Centre, you can head towards the Sweet Track. Discovered in 1970 by a local man digging for peat, this ancient pathway is one of the oldest tracks found anywhere in the world and dates back almost 6,000 years. The Avalon Marshes is one of the most ambitious landscape-scale wildlife restoration projects in Britain and all the hard work is now beginning to pay off. Hundreds of

PLANNING YOUR VISIT

GETTY IMAGES; ROBERT HARDING; ALAMY; VISITBRITAIN/ STEPHEN SPRAGGON

GETTING THERE BY CAR, the Levels are accessible from junctions 22 or 23 of the M5, or from the A303 near Somerton. BY TRAIN, the nearest stations are Highbridge & Burnham or Bridgwater, on the branch line between Bristol Temple Meads and Taunton. Taunton is the nearest mainline station with direct links to London. PLACES TO STAY THE GEORGE INN, Wedmore. A friendly gastropub with rooms from £80£100 per night. www. thegeorgewedmore.co.uk THE SWAN, Wedmore.

This pub/restaurant has rooms from £85-£125 per night. www. theswanwedmore.com

THE CORNER HOUSE HOTEL ,

Taunton. A contemporary hotel with rooms from around £90 per night. http://cornerhousepx.rtrk.co.uk PREMIER INN, Bridgwater.

A budget hotel with rooms from £45 per night. www.premierinn.com For details of various B&BS in Glastonbury and the surrounding villages go to www.visitsomerset.co.uk PLACES TO EAT THE SEXEYS ARMS, Blackford. Quaint village pub with great value, home-cooked food. www.sexeysarms. moonfruit.com THE GEORGE , Wedmore.

Great gastropub. www. thegeorgewedmore.co.uk

THE SWAN HOTEL , Wells.

RICH’S CIDER FARM, Mark.

This large, city centre hotel offers rooms from £100£200 per night. www. swanhotelwells.co.uk

Good, home-cooked breakfasts and lunches. www.richscider.co.uk/ restaurant.html

Top left: Otters are people gather from just before dusk on sometimes spotted winter evenings to watch the incredible at Avalon Marshes. flights of up to half a million starlings; Above: The medieval but there’s a lot more to see both then cathedral city of Wells and at other times of the year. lies close to the Levels This area of reeds and pools is now the best place in Britain to see the elusive bittern, a smaller, browner relative of the familiar grey heron, whose loud, booming call can be heard during the spring. But that’s not all: both little and great white egrets now breed and feed here – the great white egrets being the only population of this elegant bird anywhere in Britain. In spring, hobbies (small, acrobatic falcons) hunt dragonflies, kingfishers plunge into the waters for fish, and if you are both patient and very lucky you may even catch sight of an otter.

Nearby Wells If you prefer history to natural history – or just need a break from the birds or the weather – then the small but perfectly formed medieval city of Wells is less than half an hour’s drive away. The main attraction here is the cathedral, which dates back to the 12th century. As the historian Arthur Mee wrote in his 1941 book The King’s England – Somerset: “The shape of it all, the skyline with the open parapets, the lightness of this structure that has stood on the watery soil of Wells since the days before Agincourt, are not to be forgotten.” Alongside the cathedral is the Bishop’s Palace, an equally ancient building set inside a huge walled quadrangle and surrounded by a moat. Look out for kingfishers that regularly perch on the stone wall by the moat, or the swan that comes to feed when summoned by a bell. Both Wells and Wedmore, a thriving village a few miles to the west, are full of interesting shops and places to eat and drink, before you summon the energy to head out once again to explore the flat but beguiling landscape that is the Somerset Levels. Q discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 33

Cavalier spirit Newark’s charming façade hides a bloody past, which is vividly recounted at the new National Civil War Centre. Discover the divisive events of the conflict and the pivotal role played by this ancient market town WORDS JULIE NIGHTINGALE

34 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Overlooking the River Trent, Newark Castle was partly destroyed in 1646 during the English Civil War discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 35

N Newark

ewark-on-Trent is a pretty market town nestled between Nottingham and Lincoln. An outdoor market and array of independent stores and cafes are a magnet for discerning shoppers, while its timber-framed buildings, 12th-century castle and cobbled streets draw tourists keen to see a slice of England unblighted by clumsy town planning. Yet, while it gives every appearance of being a serene place to visit, the peaceful façade belies a turbulent past, a part in the fate of not one but two English kings and a central role in one of the bloodiest episodes in English history. Believed to date back to Roman times, the town developed first under the Angles and Saxons, who fought over it, and then the Danes. In the middle of the 11th century, it was owned by Lady Godiva and the castle was built over the following 100 years. Originally intended as a palace for Bishop Alexander of Lincoln, the building brought Newark its first taste of notoriety when King John died there in 1216 shortly after losing the Crown Jewels in the Wash. Dysentery was the diagnosis, the King having apparently overdosed on peaches, though poisoning was also alleged. The castle was subsequently home to assorted aristocracy until the eruption of the English Civil War in 1642; indeed, much of modern-day Newark was shaped by the conflict, making the town the natural choice for the new National Civil War Centre, opened in early May 2015 (see side panel). Its position at the crossroads of the Fosse Way and the Great North Road, and as a key crossing point of the River Trent, gave the town huge strategic importance. It became the Royalist stronghold for the area and was besieged three times during the nine-year conflict; a third of the townsfolk died with many succumbing to plague (legend has it that flea-ridden rats were one of the few sources of meat). Cut off from the outside world, the people even brought in their own currency, fashioning diamond-shaped ‘siege pieces’ from plate. Despite the appalling conditions, the town held out and only surrendered, begrudgingly, on 6 May 1646, when ordered to do so by King Charles I from Above: Newark’s his base at nearby Southwell. The fall of popular market is Newark signalled the end for Charles, held most days. who was executed on 30 January 1649. Below: Charles I Connections with the conflict are Coffee House visible all around the town. The NatWest Bank, on the corner of the Market Place and Stodman Street, stands on the site of the home of Hercules Clay, a merchant and a Mayor of Newark, who was so alarmed by dreams of his house engulfed in flames that he moved

36 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

MARCH OF PROGRESS At the National Civil War Centre in Newark, the stage is set for the all-action drama of 17th-century conflict No stranger to the sound of musket-fire, Newark returns to the memory of its past with the opening of the National Civil War Centre. Housed in a Grade II-listed former school building dating to 1529, the £5.4m centre explores how the war shook the political and social landscape, examining its impact on the lives of ordinary families, as well as the military and politicians. The permanent exhibition on the ground floor begins at the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, examines the English Civil War period itself and the three separate conflicts which spanned 1642-1651, and concludes with the legacy of war. Visitors will be able to handle swords, pistols and muskets, and dress up in civilian and military clothes of the time. Rare objects are on display, including a 1646 siege map and Newark siege pieces, as well as the currency minted in the castle when the town was cut off from the rest of the country. ‘Interactives’ give visitors the chance to be a gunner firing on the town from Beacon Hill. An overseas section looks at the experiences of the men who, having fled religious persecutors in England, returned from the colonies to join the fight. Allied to the permanent exhibition is the Newark Civil War Trail app, which visitors can download to their smartphone or tablet. Users of the trail who wish to access new ‘Augmented Reality’ content can download the app, available for Apple and Android devices, from the National Civil War Centre’s website. Interpretation boards at eight locations around Newark will explain how to trigger this exciting filmed content. In addition, a 40-seat cinema features short films recreating events, such as the quarrel between Charles I and Prince Rupert, the story of Hercules Clay, plus scenes of daily life at the time. www.nationalcivilwarcentre.com

his family to safety. After the building was hit by a shell, Clay was so thankful for the premonition that, on his death in 1645, he left a legacy to help the town’s poor. Across the street is the timber-framed Governor’s House – now a branch of Greggs bakery – which features an example of a garderobe, the medieval toilet over which clothes were hung in the hope that the rising ammonia would kill lice or moths in the fabric. Prince Rupert, the Royalist commander, stayed here but argued with the King over the loss of Bristol, and abandoned his war effort. There’s a timber-framed pub bearing his name just down the street while another timber building on Kirk

Gate – today, the Charles I Coffee House – is where Queen Henrietta Maria stayed while visiting the town. The Old White Hart, now occupied by the Nottingham Building Society, dates back to the 15th century and was probably a billet for soldiers. Its classic timber frontage was a favourite of architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner. Away from the centre, to the south-west on Boundary Road, is the Queen’s Sconce fortification, thought to be one of the most complete in England. Visible for miles around, the spire of St Mary Magdalene Church is more than 240ft (73m) high and bears its own Civil War scar – a round hole drilled by a cannon ball in 1644. Stand in the Garden of Remembrance to get the best view of daylight shining through the stonework and go inside the church to see the Fleming Brass, one of the largest in England, dating from 1363. Although its destruction was ordered by Oliver Cromwell, the castle proved just as tough as the townsfolk and some of it still stands. The Norman gatehouse is one of the finest in England, the dungeon is accessible and the gardens – landscaped by HE Milner in the 19th century and Grade II-listed – are an ideal place to stop for a breather. In summer they host band concerts, film screenings and civil war re-enactments. It took the town around 150 years to recover from the devastation wrought by the war. The Georgian period brought a building boom and Castle Gate, Appleton Gate and London Road all have excellent examples of the Classic style of buildings; in the Market Place, the old Moot Hall – the former court of the Manor of Newark – now has a Starbucks at ground floor level.

Inset above: Plate ‘siege piece’. Above: Four-times Liberal Prime Minister William Gladstone was MP for Newark for 14 years. Left: The Church of St Mary Magdalene discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 37

Now Open

IN A WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN WHICH SIDE WILL YOU CHOOSE?

Download Our Augmented Reality Trail App

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Newark PLANNING YOUR VISIT GETTING THERE By car, Newark is well located next to the A1 and A46 and has ample long-stay parking. Newark is a 30-40 min drive from Lincoln, Nottingham and Doncaster, and an hour from Derby, Leicester and Sheffield. By train, East Coast Mainline services stop at Newark Northgate station, which is 30 minutes from Lincoln, one hour from Leeds and Sheffield, and 1½ hours from London. www.thetrainline.com WHERE TO STAY A three-star chain hotel with 32 rooms, Best Western Deincourt is within easy walking distance of Newark’s shops, restaurants, museums and castle. Tel 01636 602 100; www.bestwestern.co.uk The Palladian town hall, built by John Carr of York and a Grade I-listed building, also houses the town museum and art gallery on the second floor with a collection including Poppies by Sir Stanley Spencer and works by artist William Nicholson and sculptor Robert Kiddey, both local-born. Other notable local celebrities include celebrated stage actor Donald Wolfit (19021968) and Lord Byron, whose first poems were printed in the town, while four-times Prime Minister William Gladstone was MP for Newark for 14 years. Up until the 1950s, Newark’s brewing and malting industries, which capitalised on a ready water supply from the river, plus excellent road and rail links, earned the town the title ‘Metropolis of Malt Beer’. Today, many of the breweries and malt houses have been converted into shops and homes, including the Town Wharf Brewery, now an apartment building but still featuring the hoist used to haul sacks of grain. The brewing tradition still survives, though on a smaller scale; Newark has a blossoming micro-brewery sector and an award-winning micro-pub at Swan and Salmon Yard. Many of Middle Gate’s outlets are independents and familyrun businesses, and range from clothing to jewellery and furniture. Book lovers should head for Stray’s, which also boasts a fine coffee shop and jazz evenings. The indoor Buttermarket – an extension of the town hall – offers jewellery stalls, card and gift shops, and there is a market every day except Sundays and Tuesdays with antiques and crafts on Mondays and Thursdays, plus a general market on other days. Newark’s other claim to fame is as a major antiques centre. Newark Showground hosts an international Antiques and Collectors Fair six times a year and the town has at least 10 antiques shops. A good place to start exploring is the Newark Antiques Centre, a former Top: Newark Town congregational church on Lombard Street with two floors of Hall houses the art furniture, jewellery, vintage clothing, silver, ceramics, clocks gallery and museum. and more. Newark’s past was indeed bloody but it also Above: Lord Byron’s makes this charming market town a place worthy of a visit first poems were for more than just good shopping. printed in the town

Winner of five stars and a Gold Award from the English Tourist Board, Newark Lodge Guest House has ensuite rooms with king-size beds, free wi-fi and parking. Tel: 01636 703 999; www.newarklodgeguesthouse.co.uk A 12-room luxury hotel and recipient of a Trip Advisor certificate of excellence for 2014, Kelham House Country Manor Hotel is an Edwardian manor set in nine acres of parkland two miles from Newark. Tel: 01636 705 266; www.kelhamhouse.co.uk WHERE TO EAT Rushton’s on Stodman Street in Newark serves classic English and European cuisine, using locally grown produce. Tel: 01636 605 214; www.rushtonsbistro.co.uk DON’T MISS Newark International Antiques and Collectors Fair is the largest event of its kind in Europe – up to 2,500 stands attract thousands of dealers and buyers from around the globe every other month. The next show dates are 4-5 June; 20-21 August; and 8-9 October. MORE INFORMATION Discover more about Newark and the surrounding area at www. experiencenottinghamshire.com, or www.visit-newark.co.uk discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 39

Newark

During the First English Civil War 1642-46, Newark played a role out of all proportion to its modest size. Troops loyal to Charles I swelled its population many times over and, from the safety of its defences, they would launch attacks on local Parliamentarians – hence the town’s motto Deo fretus erumpe or ‘Trust God and sally forth’. Newark was besieged on three occasions and finally surrendered only when ordered to do so by the King after his own surrender. NEWARK CASTLE 1 Start the walk at the bronze map in the grounds of Newark Castle. Ahead is the best-preserved Norman castle gatehouse in Britain. Walk towards it and look under the archway. The stonework is still blackened by the gunpowder that Parliamentary forces used in 1646 after the town’s Royalist garrison had obeyed King Charles’s order to surrender. Walk back around the side of the gatehouse following the path down to the riverside. Turn left and follow the length of the castle wall. Small circular depressions in the wall, mostly at head height, were caused by Parliamentary cannon fire. THE PRINCE RUPERT Follow the path around the castle, crossing over the wooden walkway and turning left up the path onto the main road. Turn right, walk for 50m and cross the zebra crossing. Walk down Stodman Street (to your left) to the Woolpack, the sixth building on the right. Cross over. The 13th-century Prince Rupert pub was originally built as a rich merchant’s house. Continue along Stodman Street until you come to NatWest Bank. 2

GOVERNOR’S HOUSE Opposite is the Governor’s House (Greggs), another timber-framed merchant’s house. Due to its position close to military HQ at the castle, it was certain to have been commandeered by the Royalist forces. Also, its proximity to the church meant that a place for worship and observation of the enemy (from the steeple parapet) was conveniently close. It was the Governor’s House for the duration of the Civil War. 3

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SITE OF ALDERMAN HERCULES CLAY’S HOUSE The NatWest building now stands on the site of Hercules Clay’s house. The house was destroyed on 11 March 1643 by a bomb that was actually aimed at the Governor’s House. The Alderman had dreamt that his home would be destroyed and moved his family just in time to a place of safety. He bequeathed a thank you offering to the town of £100 and gave £100 to the vicar on condition that he preached a sermon every year on 11 March. This still continues in Newark. You are now in Market Place – walk along the right-hand side of the square – in the corner is a colourful timber-framed building, which was once the Old White Hart inn, parts of which date back to the early 14th century. 4

ST MARY MAGDALENE CHURCH Turn around and head towards the opposite corner of the square and up to St Mary Magdalene Church. At the tall chimney, turn right down an alley, onto Appleton Gate. Turn left and left again, and enter the Garden of Remembrance and walk to the far right hand corner of the churchyard. Look up at the church spire. The hole visible in the spire marks the spot where the shot from a Parliamentarian cannon is said 5

CHARLES I COFFEE HOUSE To exit the church grounds, walk towards the church and turn right following the path back to the main entrance. Enter Kirk Gate on the right which is in front of you; walk on the left-hand side for 50m to the black and white timber-framed building opposite, Charles I Coffee House. Queen Henrietta Maria stayed here on a town visit. 6

THE WHARF Continue along to the corner of Kirk Gate and Middle Gate. To complete the trail, continue down Kirk Gate turning left at the end and crossing at the zebra crossing. Head towards the Wharf, keeping the large brick and timber-framed building on your righthand side. At the junction turn right and walk to the centre of the car park to look at the curved stone wall opposite. It dates to 1883, but follows the line of the old town wall as it made its way towards the castle. It would have formed part of the town’s defences during the Civil War. 7

INFORMATION The walk: An easy trail for all abilities. Parking: There are several car parks in the town; visit www.carparkmaps.co.uk/ carparks/Newark Distance: 1.5km. Time: 45 minutes Q 0

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ALAMY; STUART FORSTER/ROBERT HARDING; NOTTINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL; NEWARK TOWN COUNCIL; EXPERIENCE NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

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to have struck the church in 1644. In the centre of the churchyard is a monument commemorating the lives of officers killed in other sieges of Newark.

Houses of Parliament

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Visit one of the world’s most iconic buildings

WAXING LYRICAL The wheels of industry turn defiantly for many of Britain’s oldest heritage firms, their names synonymous with quality. One such, Barbour, has been clothing customers from fishermen to royalty in outdoors kit for 120 years WORDS VICKY SARTAIN

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BARBOUR Founded: 1894 Where: South Shields Product: Utility clothing www.barbour.com

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ay the name Barbour and thoughts immediately turn to country pursuits and the gentry. Indeed, this quintessential British brand of fine country clothing and accessories has long been the choice of royalty and the well-heeled, with a history spanning more than 120 years and a global reach that includes a following of some 90,000 Twitter followers. The secret of its success is undoubtedly its quality. Classy advertising campaigns and collaborations with uber-cool celebrities aside (actor Steve McQueen added instant glamour to Barbour’s range of motorcycle jackets in the 1960s, further enhanced for a new generation by supermodel and presenter Alexa Chung), this coveted label is actually grounded in practicality. Utility, functionality and durability may not be the sexiest words on the high street, and possibly not high on the list of demands of many devotees whose lifestyles are more city than national park, but nonetheless Barbour’s roots run deep in the gritty South Shields soil, where the company was established in 1894. The principles of the family-owned and run business remain the same as when John Barbour opened his first store in South Shields’ Market Place. The Scotsman saw an opportunity to kit out the industrial workers of the region, whose livelihoods as fishermen, miners, agricultural workers and stevedores kept them at the mercy of the elements. Weatherproof clothing was imperative for this sector and early promotion of the brand appealed solely to these labourers. Customer catalogues from 1908 reveal illustrations of heroic-looking men clad in the latest Barbour offering for foul weather on land or at sea and the iconic South Shields beacon was adopted as a brand logo. Progress came through a variation on the theme to suit those who enjoyed an active leisure time in country pursuits and it is this market that remains at the core of Barbour production. Collaborations with other outdoor manufacturers, such as Land Rover, complement the country look, in turn reinforcing a traditionally British, and much coveted, sense of style. Barbour still relies on its back catalogue to create modern Top: John Barbour, interpretations of its first weatherproof company founder. jackets and coats. Top right: John’s son, The original South Shields shop was Malcolm, produced the first mail order quickly outgrown, but the Barbour catalogue in 1908. family chose not to move far away Middle: Early and their offices, factory and shop promotional material. now sprawl across a large area on the Bottom: Brand outskirts of the town. The famous inspiration, the South Barbour tartan lining seen inside many Shields beacon

jackets is a nod to the family’s Scottish heritage, though to the South Shields community they have long been part of the fold. A history of philanthropic gestures in local politics and charity work has not been forgotten and those caring principles are upheld in the business under the current leadership of chairman, Dame Margaret Barbour, who took the reins 41 years ago following the untimely death of her husband, John, great-grandson of the founder. Championing the brand, Dame Margaret was the first woman to have real influence in the company’s direction alongside her late mother-in-law, Nancy Barbour. The factory floor is where the action happens. A sea of machinists engaged in various tasks combine their skills to create approximately 3,000 jackets per week. Their efficiency is a sight to behold. The journey begins at the neatly stacked sheets of pre-waxed cotton, leading on to the pattern-cutting

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Great British Brands buy a new jacket,” says long-serving customer services manager, Jean. “Last year we despatched 16,332 items with a team of just 18 people. We’ve come to realise that there are sentimental reasons for keeping hold of the same jacket; some get handed down through the generations. They also mould to your shape after a while and become like a second skin. We see some really old items: Solways from the 1960s, a lot of the Northumbria range dating back to the 1970s, and Westmorland waistcoats from the 80s. Some customers forget to clear out their pockets before sending them to us and we frequently have to return wedding rings, phones, keys, love letters, photos – you name it, we’ve had it!”

Top: Barbour’s machinists have long been admired for their great skill. Middle: The biker jacket range, 1959. Bottom left: 1908’s weatherproof wear. Bottom right: Today’s factory is a scene of efficiency

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stage, before passing to the sewing teams whose great speed and dexterity is a blur of movement. “We run an academy where we take on a number of apprentices each year to learn sewing skills and to train as machinists in the factory. We also take on university students on fashion placement schemes within our design department,” explains PR manager, Sue Newton. “Apart from having improved and enhanced equipment as time has gone on, the principles of how we make a Barbour jacket haven’t changed all that much. Our traditional methods, with much done by hand, are something we pride ourselves on.” It takes around an hour and a half to make a jacket, depending on the style, with 36 people involved in the process from start to finish. Each machinist completes a piece of the garment and passes it on until the completed jacket is ready to be quality checked. Up to five different styles may be worked on at any one time on the five production lines and the nature of the job demands intense concentration. Next door in customer services, another team is busy registering the latest intake of well-worn coats and jackets, which after years of wear and tear, or, perhaps, a brief spell in the jaws of a reckless puppy, have been returned to be repaired, re-lined or re-waxed. It’s all part and parcel of the Barbour service. It is here that the longevity of Barbour apparel is revealed. “It’ss surprising how many people n would rather pay for repairs than

arbour’s clothing archives hold some surprises. Designer Gary Janes has worked on some of Barbour’s most iconic designs and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the brand and its evolution. “We keep an eye on changing fashions but ultimately we’re about function and practicality,” he says. “We appropriate our original work-wear designs for a modern market, but there’ll always be more to a Barbour than just good looks.” Yesteryear’s outerwear essentials include ankle-length motorcycle greatcoats, the tails of which cleverly fold around the wearer for a streamlined effect during travel, as well as traditional yellow fisherman’s garb and customised jackets worn by Falklands War soldiers, whose regulation army kit had fallen well short of requirements. These well-loved relics are a credit to their makers. Almost all could easily be worn today and, as such, serve as inspiration for tomorrow. Q

COMPETITION

Win

a Barbour Bedale waxed jacket, worth £219, the quintessential all-weather coat, ideal for both town and country lifestyles THE PRIZE A unisex Bedale waxed jacket from Barbour’s Classic collection. BY POST: Send your answer, name, and contact details to ‘Barbour jacket competition’, Discover Britain magazine, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB. ONLINE: Visit www.discoverbritainmag.com and click on ‘Competitions & Offers’ to enter the competition online. TERMS & CONDITIONS: Entry closing date 31 August 2015. Prize includes a Barbour Bedale waxed unisex jacket (the winner will be contacted for their jacket size preference). Subject to availability. No cash alternative. Employees and relatives of Chelsea Magazine Company, Barbour, and associated suppliers are not eligible. The winner’s name may be published. By entering this competition you agree and acknowledge that The Chelsea Magazine Company is permitted to receive your registration data.



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ow a fifth-generation family-owned business, Barbour is well known for its classic and functional clothing and has gone from strength to strength since it was founded over 120 years ago in South Shields, North East England. The brand began when founder John Barbour saw a niche in the supply of outerwear to local fishermen, rivermen and dock workers in the form of weatherproof garments. Barbour quickly became renowned for its innovative and practical clothing. With three Royal Warrants to its name, Barbour now makes everything from shoes and socks to jumpers, shirts and trousers, and, of course, the famous wax jackets. It has become an internationally renowned brand, sold in over 40 countries including Germany, Spain, Japan and the US. One of the most popular Barbour jackets made in the South Shields factory is the Bedale waxed jacket, designed by Dame Margaret Barbour in 1980. It was the company’s first lightweight, thorn-proof jacket, designed specifically with equestrian practicalities in mind. The shorter length, tailored fit and rear vents make it perfect for horse riding, while the medium weight 6oz wax, ‘stormfly’ front and hand warmer pockets ensure it is suitable for use all year round, come rain or shine. Today, the Bedale, while still used for horse riding, has evolved into an essential multi-purpose jacket worn by men and women in both town and country, whether it’s for dog walking, the school run or anytime a weatherproof jacket is required to provide protection against the unpredictable weather. For more details about Barbour visit www.barbour.com

HOW TO ENTER In what year was Barbour founded? A 1894

B 1750



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Stonehenge is one of the world’s most famous round structures 46 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Circular buildings are nothing new. Some of the oldest forms of shelter were round in shape and, as illustrated by a wealth of annular structures across Britain, it seems our fascination with the past continues to influence designs of the future WORDS NIK RAWLINSON

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here’s something inherently beautiful about a circular building. Its curved walls gently turn away from you, wherever you might be standing. It’s intriguing, too, always keeping something back in a way that a flat-faced block simply can’t. Rectangular buildings show you the whole of each side in one go, but circular buildings call you forward, inviting you to explore what might lie around that never-ending corner. Two classics of the art celebrate their 50th birthdays this year. London’s BT Tower and the landmark Rotunda in Birmingham are perfect examples of why round buildings simply ‘work’. Neither would be so striking with angular edges and slab-flat sides; they probably wouldn’t have earned their Grade II listings and may well have been pulled down for renovation. Circular buildings are far more striking than their cuboid counterparts and confer practical benefits, too. With a smaller external surface area, they’re more energy efficient – and in many cases they’re easier to build as there’s no need to square up their corners. No wonder yurts and tepees have provided safe, reliable dwellings for millennia. Britain is home to many of Europe’s most striking round buildings, in every style and age between distant pre-history and the present day. Isn’t it time we celebrated the genius of their design and explored the stories behind each one?

THE ROTUNDA, BIRMINGHAM New Street, Birmingham Birmingham’s Grade II-listed Rotunda has dominated the city skyline for five decades this year. Standing over the renovated Bullring shopping centre, the 25-storey modernist tumbler cost £1m to build and topped out at twice its original intended height, but lacks the cinema and skyline restaurant that had featured on the initial plans. The top floor was built to rotate and originally hosted adverts, then a digital clock, each of which have since been removed.

First opened as an office block, it was designed to look like a candle and architect James Roberts had proposed a flame-like weather beacon for the roof to complete the effect. Sadly, it never appeared. The Rotunda closed for refurbishment in 2004 and reopened four years later as the site of 232 luxury apartments, with the top four floors converted to fully serviced flats available for short-term let and offering impressive views across Birmingham and beyond. It has never been the city’s tallest building – nor its most attractive – but it has long been Birmingham’s most recognisable feature. The modest entrance off New Street barely hints at the space within: the ramp that makes you feel like you’re entering a Bond villain’s lair, or lifts that open on broad, circular landings in hot, flat colours. Tel: 0121 285 1290; www.stayingcool.com/birmingham

BBC TELEVISION CENTRE, WHITE CITY Wood Lane, London With 14 acres of floor space, TV Centre was Britain’s bui largest television complex. The iconic studios are built fea around a central ring of offices that havee featured in the C sh titles and backdrops of so many BBC shows that they were hem practically characters in and of themselves. It opened in June 1960 afterr a nine-year, £10m build, ng come about by chance with the unique shape having w after architect Graham Dawbarn drew a question mark in to figure out the optimum mum on an envelope while trying a morphed into the floor oor plan layout. That question mark we know today. Gr s at the A statue of Helios, Greek God of the Sun, sits mb n of television, centre of the ring, symbolising the radiation and although this was originally a fountain,, it hasn’t run o the water echoed around a for years as the sound of the ed the office workers. doughnut and disturbed 2 and The site was sold for rredevelopment in 2012 u offices and 1,000 homes, om the although it will soon house n parts – including the core re ring r Grade II listing of certain ving and massive studio TC1 – m means the BBC will be moving discoverbritainmag.com nm JUNE/JULY 2015 | 47

Circular Buildings back in as a tenant in 2017. It will also be home to a cinema and branch of the Soho House members’ club, so will remain open to the general public for the foreseeable future. www.televisioncentre.com

REDOUBT FORT, HARWICH Main Road, Harwich, Essex The Redoubt Fort was built on a hill – but you wouldn’t believe it. The surrounding land was packed up against the walls of its dry moat, giving it a sunken appearance and a very low profile that presented a slim target for enemy fire. Despite this, the views from its guns stretch across the Stour estuary from northern Essex to the shores of Suffolk. It was built in 1808 as a defence against Napoleonic invasion and locals speak of French prisoners being forced to aid its construction. But although the guns were updated over the years to fire heavier shells ever further, it never saw action. Its only use in the Second World War was as a prison for British soldiers sent home to face trial. It fell out of use soon after, and although it spent years rotting and falling apart, it later underwent extensive repairs

Above: The Rotunda in Birmingham city centre. Below: BBC Television Centre. Bottom: Redoubt Fort in Harwich never came under fire

and is now a museum – one of the town’s many highlights – with static exhibits in the previous bunk rooms and armouries, and many heavy guns still in place. It is open every Sunday throughout the year and daily between 1 May and 30 September. Admission is £3. ‘Redoubt’ simply means circular fort, and you’ll find similar defences in Dymchurch in Kent and Eastbourne in East Sussex (see page 60). www.harwich-society.co.uk

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE, LONDON Bankside, South Bank, London The Globe, on London’s South Bank, sits just 228.6m from the site of its namesake, the 16th-century theatre famed for hosting the full canon of Shakespeare’s remarkable plays. The building we see today may resemble the original, with its open roof and standing space at the centre (called the Yard), but it’s still less than 20 years old, having opened in 1997. The original Globe went up in flames in 1613 during a performance of Henry VIII; its replacement was pulled down by the Puritans in 1644 and its foundation was later discovered – in 1989 – beneath a car park on nearby Park Street. In much the same way that nobody truly knows who Shakespeare was, there’s a degree of uncertainty as to the dimensions and make-up of the original theatre. Nonetheless, the modern recreation has an air of authenticity and there can be few better places from which to view the Bard’s work. Behind-the-scenes tours cost £13.50 discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 49

Circular Buildings for adults and £8 for children (under fives go free), while standing tickets for shows start at just £5. Tel: 020 7902 1400; www.shakespearesglobe.com

METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE KING, LIVERPOOL Mount Pleasant, Liverpool Liverpool was a 19th-century hub for Catholic Irish emigrants heading to the US. Inevitably some arrived in Britain and stayed, bolstering the city’s Catholic population – and its need of a new cathedral. The present circular building, opened in 1967, was the fourth attempt at sating that need, with two earlier projects abandoned when only small chapels had been built and the third never making it off the drawing board. It’s topped by a lantern tower filled with red, yellow and blue stained glass – the three colours representing the Trinity – that bathes the interior in tinted light. The marble altar is directly beneath this, with the pews arranged round it to ensure a clear view for congregations of up to 2,000 people. Thirteen chapels surround the main body of the church, and although its structure is predominantly concrete, the facing of Portland Stone gives its modern exterior a classic finish. The cathedral is open daily from 7.30am and even offers free guided tours (suggested donation £3). More unusually, the crypt – the oldest part of the cath cathedral as it arli abandoned was to form the basement of one of the earlier, th attracts drinkers designs – hosts an annual beer festival that from around the world. ol Tel: 0151 709 9222; www.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk

RADCLIFFE CAMERA, OXFORD FO Radcliffe Square, Oxford C io of its What you see of the Radcliffe Camera is just a fraction ch means ‘room’ – wass financed total size. The Camera – which

Top: Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King. Above: The Radcliffe Camera was completed in 1749. Below: Shakespeare’s Globe theatre

from the will of a local doctor, John Radcliffe, who in 1714 left £40,000 to fund its construction, on top of an annual book-buying budget of £100. Completed in 1749, it’s the oldest circular library in Britain and stood independent of the surrounding university for more than 100 years. In 1912 it was connected to the Bodleian Library next door by means of an underground tunnel and it’s now home to the university’s English, history and theology collections. It’s well known to TV and film viewers, with prominent appearances in Inspector Morse and the Young Sherlock Holmes. It was also said by Oxford author JRR Tolkien to resemble Sauron’s temple to Morgoth. It’s not open to the general public outside of the official ‘extended’ tour, which costs £13 and should be booked in advance at www.oxforduniversitystores.co.uk. If you don’t have 90 minutes to follow the tour, there’s nothing to stop you admiring its Palladian architecture from the outside, with broad and unobstructed views from 50 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Bespoke tours of the historic cathedral city

www.hiddenlincoln.com [email protected] 01522 521211

HIDDEN LINCOLN

Circular Buildings Oxford’s Catte Street and Radcliffe Square. Tel: 01865 277 162; www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk

GCHQ, CHELTENHAM Hubble Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire The US has the Pentagon; Britain has the Doughnut. The Government Communications Headquarters is one of Britain’s biggest buildings – and its most secure – but upon its completion in 2003, the 71-hectare site was still too small to house all of Britain’s intelligence and cryptography spooks. Designed by British architect Chris Johnson for American firm, Gensler, the £330m Doughnut replaced more than 50 discrete buildings located in and around the Cheltenham area, with the last staff to arrive claiming their desks in 2011. The construction itself was contracted out, but the actual move after its completion was overseen by GCHQ itself so that nobody else could touch its classified kit. Although it looks like an unbroken ring, the Doughnut is actually three buildings in one, squashed together and linked by corridors on the upper and lower floors. Combined, they provide 139,354m² of office space, yet its overall height of just 21m is surprisingly modest. With its use of local limestone and recycled steel, it’s perhaps no surprise that in 2004 it was nominated for an award to highlight improvements to the built and landscaped environment by the Cheltenham Civic Society. www.gchq.gov.uk

STONEHENGE, WILTSHIRE Amesbury, Wiltshire Stonehenge dates back at least 5,000 years, and you’d be hard pushed to find an older building than this in the whole

of Europe. Eight miles north of Salisbury, Stonehenge is a UNESCO-protected World Heritage Site that took at least 1,500 years to complete and is built on a site that bears evidence of construction stretching back 10 millennia. It’s now owned by the Crown, having been bequeathed to the nation in 1918 by Baronet Cecil Chubb after he bought it at auction for £6,600. Despite the lack of transport or machinery, some of its largest stones were brought to the site from more than 200 miles away. Nobody quite knows how it was built or exactly what it was used for, but cremated remains suggest it had a religious significance and better-preserved burials point to it once having been a site of pilgrimage for those chasing cures. Timed tickets giving access to the monument cost £13.90 for adults and £8.30 for children aged 5 to 15. It can also be viewed – at speed – by drivers on the A303. The A344 that passed to its north has been closed to make way for the new English Heritage visitor centre. Tel: 0370 333 1181; www.english-heritage.org.uk/ stonehenge

THE CIRCUS, BATH Bath, Somerset Many consider John Wood’s Royal Crescent to be the jewel in Bath’s crown and cruelly overlook his architectural angel cake next door. The Circus was built layer on layer with three distinct architectural types sitting on top of each other. Greek,

Below: Stonehenge attracts thousands of visitors each year. Inset: BT Tower was once Britain’s tallest building

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Roman and Corinthian styles adorn the 200m circumference of this broken Georgian circle, which is decorated with more than 500 sculptures and carvings, and topped by a crown of stone acorns. Upon its completion in 1768, the centre of the Circus, now a small park, was a paved reservoir, which supplied the surrounding houses with water. The two developments work as one if you see the Circus and Crescent as representing the sun and moon. Many claim that the use of these symbols is a nod towards the Freemasons. Although it was partly rebuilt following a German bombing raid in 1942, the Circus looks just as majestic today as it would have done when brand new.

Historian Dan Cruickshank named it one of Britain’s five best buildings as late as 2006. It was once home to Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait studio, and actor Nicholas Cage bought a £4 million townhouse in the Circus in 2007; selling the house, which once belonged to Pitt the Elder, in 2009. www.visitbath.co.uk

BT TOWER, LONDON Cleveland Street, London Access to the Grade II-listed BT Tower, a hub of British communications, is strictly controlled. It’s no longer open to the general public, but if you can wangle a private invitation to the rotating floors at the top of the 191m structure, the views across central London and Regent’s Park simply cannot be beaten. It was Britain’s tallest building from 1964 until 1980 and although a public restaurant on the upper floors was initially leased to Billy Butlin, of holiday-camp fame, the structure was designated an Official Secret and didn’t appear on Ordnance Survey maps until 1993. Despite its age, it remains one of London’s most recognisable towers and still plays a part in television charity drives. Its distinctive shape was settled upon as it offered the least wind resistance, helping ensure the communications dishes once mounted on its upper floors weren’t blown out of alignment. The top two floors now sit behind the world’s largest electronic display. The 278m² screen shows colourful graphics, messages and countdowns to notable events. www.visitlondon.com Q

ALAMY; ROBERT HARDING

Above: The Doughnut houses GCHQ and is actually three buildings in one. Below: The Circus covers a majestic circumference that extends 200m

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rowds gather on Liverpool’s waterfront on the same day every year. They congregate around a rusty old ship’s propeller on the quayside outside the Merseyside Maritime Museum and bow their heads in silent contemplation. This is the annual commemoration for families connected to one of Britain’s most tragic maritime disasters, and this spring more than ever it proved a poignant affair. For 2015 is the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania, and ongoing through the year, as well as in a new permanent exhibition, the tragedy but also the good fortunes of the Cunard shipping company are being thrown into the spotlight. The Cunard liner, HMS Lusitania, made her maiden transatlantic voyage out of Liverpool in 1907. In May 1915 she became a civilian casualty of the First World War when she was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland by a German submarine. Some 1,192 people, many women and children, perished in the disaster and the sinking became a turning point in the war. To mark the centenary, the Merseyside Maritime Museum has opened its new permanent Lusitania exhibition, a space devoted to the ill-fated liner. The exhibition tells the story of the disaster through the eyes of the people of Liverpool. It’s the latest chapter in a story that began in 1982 when

Opposite: Lusitania the ship’s propeller was returned to its greeted by excited Liverpool home. crowds as it reaches “I want the items in the gallery to New York in 1907 speak for themselves,” says Eleanor Moffat, the Museum’s Curator of Maritime Collections. “These personal items are not necessarily worth much money, but when you learn the stories behind them, they connect us first hand to our maritime heritage.” The Cunard Steamship Company was founded in Liverpool in 1839 and its head office remained in the city until 1967. Today the Cunard Building, where the company relocated its headquarters in 1916, is one of the World Heritage-listed Three Graces on the Pier Head (along with The Royal Liver Building and the Port of Liverpool Building). There are plans to open up the edifice this summer to visitors, running tours of the interior with its Italian marble columns and arches, fifth floor Boardroom and ground floor pillared ticket hall, plus the lounge for First Class passengers. Cunard rapidly expanded its business to include not only shipping across the Atlantic to the United States and Canada, but also routes to ports in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. By 1877 the company had 19 vessels on the Atlantic run, 12 in service to the Mediterranean and Black Sea, and a further 13 serving Glasgow, Northern Ireland and Bermuda.

Liverpool’s

LEGACY Some of the greatest ocean liners in the world began their sailing lives at Liverpool docks. This year the city marks two important maritime anniversaries, adding to reasons to visit its seafaring heritage WORDS DAVID ATKINSON

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History of Cunard

To celebrate an altogether happier anniversary, some famous Cunard ships return to Liverpool this summer to mark 175 years from the inauguration of the company’s transatlantic service out of Liverpool in July 1840. The three largest Cunard ships ever built, the Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria sailed back into the city between 24-26 May to remember that historic moment. The Queen Mary 2 then sails on 4 July from Liverpool to New York, emulating to the day the journey of Britannia 175 years ago. This is the first time since January 1968 that a Cunard ship has departed from Liverpool bound for America. The sailing is preceded that day by a special commemorative concert at Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral while light projections onto the waterfront buildings over three nights recount the story of Liverpool at sea. “Liverpool still feels a very strong link as Cunard’s spiritual home,” says Eleanor Moffat. “The city’s wealth stems from the golden era of the shipping lines in the 18th and 19th centuries. This period established Liverpool as a centre for world trade and commerce.”

TOUR OF THE DOCKS Each year, many thousands of visitors come to Liverpool to explore its seafaring history. In 2004, UNESCO granted World Heritage status to six areas of Liverpool, including some along the waterfront, in recognition of its standing as 56 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Above: The Queen a maritime mercantile city. Projects Mary 2 adds to continue to this day, the latest of the bright lights which is to expand the new Liverpool of Liverpool Cruise Terminal to accommodate ships carrying up to 3,500 passengers. Visitors to the city will find that all the main maritime sights are contained within a one-mile sweep along the River Mersey from the Cruise Terminal (Princes Dock) to the Echo Arena (Kings Dock) via the Albert Dock museum quarter and the Pier Head, home to the Three Graces. Heading left from the Cruise Terminal, past the Titanic Memorial, the first major attraction is the Museum of Liverpool. Opened in 2011, the angular, glass-fronted building tells the story of the city and its people. The Great Port gallery explores the development of the docks and the tidal River Mersey, while the Global City gallery examines Liverpool’s pivotal role in the expansion of the British Empire. Look out for the evocative poem, The Gateway to the Atlantic, by the Liverpool-born poet Roger McGough, by the entrance to the former. The waterside walkway leads towards the Albert Dock, where Tate Liverpool has been bringing world-class exhibitions, including the Turner Prize, to the Liverpool waterfront since the regeneration of the docklands in the late 1980s. While you’re browsing the minimalist gallery space, stop by the floor-to-ceiling windows to catch glimpses of the

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History of Cunard

THE LUSITANIA EXHIBITION cityscape at different angles along the waterfront. Located just across from Tate Liverpool is the Merseyside Maritime Museum, incorporating the International Slavery Museum on its upper floors. The latter explores Liverpool’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, opening the visit with powerful quotes, such as Abraham Lincoln’s 1862 speech, “In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free.” For a greater understanding of Liverpool’s deep-rooted relationship with Cunard and an opportunity to browse rare items of maritime heritage, take a short stroll across the city centre to the University of Liverpool Library. It’s here, amid the hushed reverence of a reading room in the department of Special Collections and Archives, that members of the public can access the Cunard archive – by prior appointment. Liverpool University acquired the Cunard Steamship Company Archive in the 1960s and it has remained there on long-term deposit ever since. It comprises over 400 linear metres of material and covers primarily the period from 1840-1990. The collection is arranged into 13 different sections, including Chairmen’s Papers, Accounts and Public Relations records. Above: Home of The archive is a treasure trove of shipping heritage material, such as daily bulletin on-board displays, Merseyside newsletters and menu cards. A January Maritime Museum 1842 passenger list from the Britannia opened in 1980 58 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

The new permanent exhibition Lusitania: Life, Loss, Legacy provides poignant personal insights at the Merseyside Maritime Museum The exhibition divides into three sections: pre-war beginnings, Liverpool during the First World War, and the sinking of the Lusitania. Among the personal items on display are Captain Dow’s sea chest, Captain Turner’s gold pocket watch and handwritten accounts of the disaster from survivors, plus a deckchair and a lifejacket salvaged from the wreck and a cushion from the ship’s music room. The chest and the lifejacket have never been on public display previously. “Lusitania was a symbol of Liverpool’s prestige and the sinking came as a huge psychological shock to the city,” explains Curator of Maritime Collections Eleanor Moffat. “In the aftermath, the story of the Lusitania became a rallying call for war.” The museum, meanwhile, has also created a Cunard 175 exhibition that will run from 3 July 2015. Here, the story of some of the most stylish ships in the world will be told through the lives of people who sailed them and the company that built them. The exhibition features objects from National Museums Liverpool’s maritime history collections and archives that will help visitors gain a better insight into the history of Cunard’s iconic vessels. www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk

ALAMY; TOM ADAM; VISIT LIVERPOOL; NATIONAL MUSEUMS LIVERPOOL

shows a certain Charles Dickens, his wife and her servant sailing from Liverpool to Boston – Dickens paid 40 pounds and 19 shillings for a cabin room. Meanwhile a collection of black-and-white photos from May 1928 of life on board HMS Aquitania looks like scenes straight out of the popular TV series Downton Abbey. Cunard archivist Sian Wilks has been collating a digital database of items from the archive for the company’s 175th anniversary. Taking the Cunard archive online aims to widen access to both the local community and the increasing number of international enquiries, including those from Canada and the United States, for ancestry research. She is also sourcing items to feature in an exhibition of Cunard cruise posters at the University of Liverpool’s Victoria Gallery and Museum in October this year. “There’s a lot of excitement about Cunard using Liverpool as a port again. It reflects the pride the city feels about the regeneration of its historic waterfront,” she says. Sian handled some 600 item retrievals for visitors last year and regularly assists members of the public searching for family ancestry links through the archive material. “It’s rare for someone to find a Below left: Cunard poster featuring family member through the archive, but when it does happen HMS Aquitania. it’s a great feeling,” she smiles. Below right: Tate While the mood may be more sombre surrounding the Liverpool is located Lusitania commemoration, a sense of celebration and at Albert Dock. revelling in the city’s wealth of maritime heritage is blowing in Bottom: Lusitania off the River Mersey this year. Q propeller

PLANNING YOUR VISIT Getting there: By car, from the south leave the M6 at junction 21A and take the M62 to Liverpool, following the brown signs for the Albert Dock. The Q-Park Liverpool ONE car park is located at L1 8LT. By train, Virgin Trains (www.virgintrains. co.uk) runs regular rail services to Liverpool Lime Street station from London Euston and along the West Coast Main Line. Tel: 08457 484 950; www.nationalrail.co.uk Where to stay: 30 James Street is a newly opened boutique hotel on the waterfront. The hotel is located in Albion House, the former headquarters of the White Star Line. The Great Hall function room has a collection of White Star Line memorabilia, including black-and-white footage of the announcement of the Titanic disaster from the balcony of room 22 on April 15, 1912; rooms from £75 per night, excluding breakfast. Tel: 0151 236 0166; www.rmstitanichotel.co.uk Where to eat: The Baltic Fleet is a historic, dockside pub and Liverpool’s only brewpub – conveniently located across from the Albert Dock. The Grade II-listed building is an unapologetically no-frills affair with a small collection of nautical memorabilia. Tuck into a plate of traditional Liverpool ‘scouse’ stew with a pint of local craft ale. Tel: 0151 709 3116; www. balticfleetpubliverpool.com Don’t miss: The temporary exhibition of vintage cruise posters, Sail Away: Liverpool Shipping Posters, runs until October 2015 at the Merseyside Maritime Museum. www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk More information: www.visitliverpool.com

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Ball boys and girls on Eastbourne’s famous grass courts ahead of the tennis action

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ANYONE FOR TENNIS? Recognised as a British suntrap, the seaside town of Eastbourne in East Sussex is popular over the summer months as much for its tennis tournament as its weather WORDS ANGHARAD MORAN

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or those who find the wait for Wimbledon unbearable, it is possible to get a tennis fix a little earlier in Eastbourne, where fans of the sport can combine watching world-class tennis with a trip to the seaside. The Aegon International Eastbourne tennis tournament takes place 20-27 June this year, offering players the opportunity to warm up for Wimbledon the following week and spectators the chance to glimpse summer form. Held at Devonshire Park, the tournament first started life as the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Premier tournament in 1974 and familiar faces such as Virginia Wade, Martina Navratilova and Lindsey Davenport would go on to become champions over the years. In 2009 the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) 250 Series tournament for men joined the women for a slice of the action and the Aegon International tournament was born. However, this year will see a return to an allwomen event at Eastbourne as tournament director, Gavin Fletcher, explains: “With changes in the international calendar, plus the need for both men’s and women’s draws to increase in size, it is necessary for the men’s and women’s events to be split. As a consequence, the men will be moving to Nottingham from 2015, while the women’s event will remain in Eastbourne. We remain committed to hosting a world-class tournament in Eastbourne and look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best female players once again.” Devonshire Park is the town’s oldest park and has been hosting Lawn Tennis since the 1870s. It holds 13 tennis courts, which offer a great atmosphere and setting for the tournament, and all a mere drop shot away from Eastbourne’s seafront and various attractions. At the corner of Devonshire Park itself is the Towner art gallery, which moved to its current location after a new £8.5m purpose-built gallery design was discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 61

Eastbourne striped lighthouse overlooked by the cliffs of Beachy Head – approved by Eastbourne Council in 2005. This year, the the highest chalk sea cliffs in Britain. Here, an experienced gallery has opened a new permanent Ravilious room where a guide provides details about the history and geology of the selection of Eric Ravilious’s watercolours can be viewed. area before you make the exhilarating journey back to the Heading away from the bubble of excitement that harbour, where there are many shops and cafes to explore. surrounds the tennis at Devonshire Park, the seaside charm If you’d prefer to travel at a gentler pace, follow the of Eastbourne beckons. Dubbed as ‘the sunniest place in the Seafront Journey Planner information boards that lead UK’ (a claim also hotly contested by the likes of Hastings and visitors along the coast to Sovereign Harbour. The trail Jersey), the town has much to attract visitors in addition to its takes in the main attractions along the seafront, such as the clement weather. impressive bandstand: first opened in 1935, it continues to The pearly-white facades of grand hotels, shops, tearooms host over 100 concerts each year, with the majority and ice-cream parlours line the town’s seafront, Clockwise: held between May and September. The trail also echoing the gleaming white of the cliffs at Eastbourne Pier; leads past Eastbourne’s iconic pier, which was Beachy Head further down the coast. For those Towner gallery; completed in 1872. In July 2014 the pier was badly looking to blow away the cobwebs, a high-speed Beachy Head; take a damaged by fire, but it is now once again open for boat ride with Sussex Voyages can be arranged boat trip with Sussex business while restoration work continues. from Eastbourne’s Sovereign Harbour, past the Voyages; concert at As well as these elegant seaside structures built town’s seafront and along to the red-and-white the bandstand

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ALAMY; GETTY IMAGES; SUSSEX VOYAGES; VISIT EASTBOURNE; DAN CLEMENTS

FURTHER AFIELD Eastbourne is the gateway to the South Downs National Park, an undulating landscape of heathland, river valleys and ancient woodland. Here, it is possible to tackle the South Downs Way, a 100-mile trail that traces a route from Eastbourne, through the National Park and up to Winchester in Hampshire. With most people taking around nine days to complete the entire trail, it may be preferable to sample bite-sized sections and enjoy the National Park’s landscape, local market towns and abundance of wildlife along the way. The area was established as a National Park in 2010 and is the closest one to London. The scenic surroundings have inspired the likes of JMW Turner, Jane Austen, Rudyard Kipling and even Elgar over the years. Meanwhile the area’s ancient history is slowly being revealed through a project started in 2014, which has been delving beneath the ancient woodlands to find traces of past communities that lived and worked across the South Downs. Since the Bronze Age, the South Downs area has been used for agricultural purposes and, compared to the country’s older National Parks, a large proportion continues to be farmed here. In more recent years, vineyards have also been making use of the area’s levels of sunshine, rainfall and chalky soil, which help to create the perfect conditions for growing grapes to make sparkling wines. Its agricultural virtues aside, visitors to the area can simply enjoy rambling through the captivating scenery of Britain’s newest National Park. www.southdowns.gov.uk

to cater for crowds of happy holidaymakers, Eastbourne’s Above: The Aegon International summer seafront holds some less frivolous architecture in the form tournament draws of the Wish Tower. This is one of 74 Martello Towers that a huge crowd to stood guard along the Kent and East Sussex coast during the Eastbourne each year Napoleonic Wars and were later utilised during the Second World War. Eastbourne’s Redoubt Fortress also formed part of Britain’s defences against the force of Napoleon, or at least it would have, were it not for the fact that Nelson famously defeated the combined French and Spanish fleet in 1805 only a year after the fortress was commissioned. The fortress went on to be used as military police headquarters during the First World War and an air raid shelter during the Second World War. Redoubt was later bought by the local council and saw use as a venue for a model village, an aquarium and even a crazy golf course. Today, the fortress has been restored to represent its original purpose and houses a museum that charts over 200 years of military history, allowing visitors to learn more about the building itself and its place in local life. Uniforms, medals and weapons are all on display along with film footage of Eastbourne during the Second World War. Visitors can also discover what life was like for soldiers during Napoleonic times through a range of displays as 2015 marks 200 years since the Battle of Waterloo. Eastbourne holds other, less conspicuous museums, too, capturing completely different aspects of local heritage. The quirky How We Lived Then is Eastbourne’s museum of shops where it is possible to get lost in nostalgia across four floors of old shop fronts, room settings and eclectic product displays. From Cadbury’s and Coca-Cola to Heinz tomato soup, over 100,000 exhibits chart the history of household products and packaging. Meanwhile, back on the seafront, the little Eastbourne Lifeboat Museum provides information about the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). Housed in the town’s old lifeboat house, which was constructed in 1898 and became the RNLI’s first museum in 1936, it charts around 200 years of saving lives at sea. Today, the town’s new lifeboat station is based at Sovereign Harbour. Back on the tennis courts, Eastbourne’s claim to fame as ‘the sunniest place in the UK’ means it’s perhaps less likely that rain will stop play here than at other tournaments. As the annual event returns to its roots as an all-ladies tournament and the town is shaken from its summer peace by the excited roar of tennis fans at Devonshire Park, it’s a great time to visit, whatever the weather. Q For more information about the Aegon International, visit www.lta.org.uk. To discover more about Eastbourne, go to www.visiteastbourne.com discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 63

COMPETITION

Win

a three-night break, 22-24 June, at the five-star Grand Hotel, along with Centre Court tickets to the Aegon International Eastbourne

THE PRIZE Enjoy a three-night break for two people at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne on a B&B basis for the nights of 22, 23 and 24 June 2015, plus Centre Court Aegon International Eastbourne tickets for 24 June and coffee and cake at Western View. www.visiteastbourne.com

BY POST: Send your answer, name and contact details to Grand Hotel Competition, Discover Britain magazine, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB. ONLINE: Visit www.discoverbritainmag.com and click on ‘Competitions &

Offers’ to enter the competition online. TERMS & CONDITIONS: Closing date for all entries is 12 June 2015. Prize only available on dates stated, 22, 23, 24 June 2015. Prize valid for up to two people. There is no cash alternative. Centre Court tickets for the Aegon International Eastbourne are valid for two people on 24 June 2015 only. Vouchers supplied for strawberries and Pimms for two people. Grand Hotel spa treatments not included. Coffee and cake at Western View up to the value of £15.00. Whole prize is not transferable and travel costs are not included. Employees (and relatives) of The Chelsea Magazine Company are not eligible to enter. Winners’ names may be published. By entering this competition you agree and acknowledge that The Chelsea Magazine Company is permitted to receive your registration data.



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njoy the experience of watching world-class tennis at the Aegon International Eastbourne, while indulging in some strawberries and Pimms at Devonshire Park: all part of a wonderful three-night break for two people at the prestigious Grand Hotel. The Aegon International Eastbourne tennis championship runs from 20-27 June and is the high-calibre sporting event of Eastbourne’s calendar. Relax in the sunshine at the historic Devonshire Park, with Centre Court tickets on Wednesday 24 June, watching top players battle it out for a place in the quarter-finals. The prize includes three nights, 22-24 June, at the five-star Grand Hotel, staying in an executive room with spectacular views of the South Downs and Eastbourne’s Victorian seafront. Not only that, but the lucky winners will also enjoy use of the hotel’s health club, with its indoor and outdoor pool, gym and spa facilities. Your summer break will be topped off with coffee and cake at Western View, Eastbourne’s west-facing suntrap cafe. For more information about the tennis tournament, visit www.aegoninternationaleastbourne.co.uk. To find out more about the Grand Hotel, see www.grandeastbourne.com.

HOW TO ENTER Where is Eastbourne located? A South coast

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Richmond Castle is one of the greatest Norman fortresses in Britain. Opposite: View along the River Swale 66 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

C A S T L E

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CONQUEST The town of Richmond, gateway to the North Yorkshire Dales, grew around a Norman castle and has prospered through the centuries. Now it is a popular place to visit, with a compelling history and fine local Yorkshire produce WORDS SHEENA HARVEY

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tanding on the edge of the steep and lofty drop down to the rushing River Swale it is not hard to see why this place was known as Riche Mont, ‘strong hill’, and was the obvious place to site an 11th-century Norman fortress. The now softened and Anglicised Richmond Castle, one of several built around England in the wake of the Conquest in 1066, is thought to be the best-preserved structure of its age and size in the country. It is also a perfect example of how a new settlement grew up around these Norman demonstrations of baronial wealth and power, as the town of Richmond developed around the fortifications providing workshops and artisan living accommodation, food production and markets sufficient to the castle’s needs. Nowadays, there are many narrow lanes to explore, running down the hill and lined with interesting buildings from medieval times, through Georgian, Victorian and onwards, with many small shops alongside the modern, and plenty of cafes and restaurants and coaching inns. The cobbled market square – with Trinity Church and the market cross, called the Obelisk, dominating the wider end of its elongated triangle – is connected by a narrow street directly to the castle keep. A grand archway on the ground floor of the keep was the first imposing entrance to the castle. Originally there would have been only the archway set in the curtain wall, with possibly balconies above overlooking the marketplace. But, in the mid-12th century the great four-storey tower that can be seen today was added on top and in front of the arch. This contains several rooms, including a great hall. The stone-flagged ground-floor that now opens only internally onto the castle courtyard provides entrance to the cellars and shows signs of being a favoured roost for a barn owl, along with the ubiquitous feral pigeons that occupy

the niches in the stonework. The main means of entry to the living quarters is via a staircase to the right of the tower and across a roof above the present entrance. The founder of the castle is thought to be Alan Rufus, who was related to William the Conqueror and fought at the head of the troops from Brittany that took part in the Battle of Hastings. He gave a number of Breton knights positions of power and prestige in the running of the castle and in occupying the surrounding countryside to assert his dominance over the defeated localAnglo-Saxon nobility. On the other side of the vast grassed courtyard, which would once have been filled with domestic buildings, lies the substantial ruins of Scolland’s Hall, named after a 12th-century constable of the castle who served it for more than 60 years. The hall is reputed to be the earliest domestic interior still surviving in England and would have had a large communal room and solar (or withdrawing room for

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Richmond Castle

Left: The Victorian Market Hall is home to an indoor market Monday-Sunday. Below: The Georgian Theatre Royal is one of Britain’s oldest theatres and was constructed in 1788

the nobility) on the first floor, and storage rooms in the undercroft. The latter is where you can stand today looking up at the square sockets that would have held the original hall floor and the grand windows that would have illuminated it. The fact that this castle was built more as an impressive and comfortable house for the Norman lord than as a fortress is evidenced by the gardens, which are thought to have been designed when the castle was built. There are clues that there once was a wooden balcony leading off the solar and giving views over a recreational space running down the hillside in the walled area that has come to be known as the Cockpit. A heritage garden with First World War commemorative topiary now occupies the site. Richmond Castle has had varying fortunes over the years, being passed backwards and forwards between favourites of the Crown or being administered by the ruling monarch himself. By the time of a survey of property in 1538 the castle had become derelict and so it remained for the next 300 years, latterly being visited by Victorian tourists including the artist JMW Turner, who painted the ruins. In 1845, however, the castle was once more allowed to fulfil an important function as it was leased by the Duke of Richmond to the Army and became the base for the North York Militia. Barrack blocks were built in the courtyard and the Militia occupied it until 1908 when it was turned over to the Northern Territorial Army. Lord Baden-Powell, founder of the Scouts movement, was in charge of the troops there for two years. During the First World War the castle premises again changed hands, becoming the centre for the Northern Non-Combatant Corps. This was a uniformed branch of the Army for conscientious objectors who, on the grounds of religious or moral beliefs, refused to be involved in active military roles. In the Non-Combatant Corps they were subject to a military regime and employed in other aspects 68 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

of the war effort. However, some refused even that work and 16 of them were imprisoned in the castle before being sent to France. If they would not face the enemy there, it was said, they would be court marshalled and executed. In the event, they were tried and sentenced to 10 years’ hard labour. Graffiti drawn on the walls of their Richmond Castle cells, and still there to be seen, tells a poignant story of these men. Before you enter the castle itself, an exhibition in the Visitor Centre paints a colourful picture of its history and the growth of the town of Richmond. It was a prosperous place, particularly in Georgian times, and one of the sights that should not be missed is the exquisite Georgian Theatre Royal down the hill from the marketplace. It was built and managed by the actor Samuel Butler in 1788 and was used for performances until 1830. After that it became an auction room and wine store and then was abandoned and hidden for decades. Rediscovered and renovated in the 1960s, it is now Britain’s most complete Georgian playhouse with its sunken pit, rows of wooden, pillared boxes down each side and small gallery at the back. The furthest you can sit from the stage is just over 10m and the performing space is only 4.71m wide. In the market square, next to Trinity Church, is the Green

Right: The ruin of Easby Abbey. Below: Richmond’s Obelisk and Trinity Church are at the centre of the marketplace

Howards Museum, telling the story of the famous infantry regiment that dates back to 1690 and the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland – it now forms part of the larger Yorkshire Regiment. It received battle honours in the Crimean War, on the Indian frontier, in the Boer War and the First and Second World Wars and these stories are told in the exhibits in the museum, which include diaries, letters and service journals giving a human face to conflict. About a mile downstream of the castle are the ruins of Easby Abbey and its enormous monastic complex. In the Middle Ages this mass of buildings was enclosed by a high wall with a gatehouse, past which it is now possible to reach the more modern parish church of Easby. Turner, on his tour of the area, also painted Easby’s ruins and you can stand in the exact spot he would have done and compare what you can see with a reproduction of his painting. Q

PLANNING YOUR VISIT

ALAMY; EPICS/2010 GETTY IMAGES

Getting there: By car, the town is four miles from Scotch Corner, the junction of the north/south A1 with the east/west A66. By train, the nearest station is Darlington, which is 12 miles away. You can also fly to the Durham Tees Valley airport, less than 18 miles away. Where to stay: Middleton Lodge is a private country house six miles from Richmond. The coach house and stables have been converted to luxury accommodation and an award-winning restaurant.

Each of the nine rooms has individual character, with open rafters, exposed timber beams, spacious bathrooms and chic furnishings. The Hayloft Rooms are themed to subjects such as Swallows and Amazons, with sailboat decorations and flying bird motifs on the cushions, and a copy of the book to transport you back to childhood. The Tack Room has a wood-burning stove, super-king bed and private courtyard garden. The Garden Rooms have their own outdoor seating area

that catches the afternoon sun. A spa is also planned for summer 2015. Tel: 01325 377 977 www.middletonlodge.co.uk Where to eat: Coach House Restaurant at Middleton Lodge, Middleton Tyas. The restaurant has a rustic feel with the wood panelling and stone flags from the original stables. The food, devised by Chef Gareth Rayner, is modern British using the very best of Yorkshire produce. Tel: 01325 377 977; www. middletonlodge.co.uk

Cross View Tea Rooms is located in a listed Georgian building on Richmond’s cobbled marketplace. Ingredients come from local suppliers and traditional home-made cakes are baked on site. www. crossviewtearooms.co.uk More information: Richmond information: www.richmond.org Richmond Castle: www. english-heritage.org.uk Theatre Royal: www. georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk The Green Howards Museum: www.greenhowards.org.uk

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ESCAPE

TIM GRAHAM / GETTY IMAGES

INSPIRATION FOR DAYS OUT AND WEEKEND BREAKS IN BRITAIN

DAYS OUT

Discover a wealth of Royal history at Windsor Castle (see page 75)

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Escape | Days Out The secluded beach at Sandwood Bay

Top five beaches NATIONWIDE

With summer now underway it’s time to dig out your bucket and spade, dust off your swimwear and head to the beach

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s part of an island nation, everyone in Britain is less than 90 miles from the country’s sandy shores and rugged coastline, and what better way to spend a warm summer’s day than on one of Britain’s beaches. Whether you’re looking for a suitable picnic spot, somewhere to laze the day away or something a little more active, the diverse shores of Britain attract visitors from across the country (and further afield) over the summer months. The draw of the shore has been pulling in the crowds since Georgian and Victorian times, when the well-to-do would holiday at the seaside to reap the benefits of the clean air and the assumed benefits of drinking seawater! Towns such as Lyme Regis in Dorset, Tenby in Pembrokeshire and Margate in Kent were among those frequented by wealthy visitors who paved the way for the towns’ continued popularity today. From curious Victorian bathing machines – contraptions resembling a beach hut on wheels that helped refined ladies enter the water beyond prying eyes and so preserve their modesty – to donkey rides and the bright lights of Blackpool, the seaside has remained a firm favourite with British holiday makers over the years. If you’re looking to follow in this long tradition and head to the beach this summer, we’ve put together a list of five very different, but equally wonderful options across the country that are well worth a visit whether you want to join the crowds or escape them altogether. 72 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

CROSBY BEACH MERSEYSIDE If you’re looking for a little more than just sand and sea, pay a visit to Antony Gormley’s Another Place on Crosby Beach. This permanent art installation consists of up to 100 cast iron models of the artist’s body facing out to sea. Covering around two miles of beach, the figures can be seen buried waist-deep in the sand, standing in the shallows or almost submerged half a mile out to sea. www.sefton.gov.uk

LYME REGIS DORSET Forming part of the Jurassic Coast UNESCO World Heritage Site, this beach is teeming with fossils. There’s no need for specialist archaeological tools, or even a brightly-coloured plastic spade, as the crumbling cliffs and wash of the tide do all the hard work for keen-eyed fossil hunters who will be able to spot a bounty of ammonites, as well as small fragments from the skeletons of ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. For those who want to learn more about the fossils

found here, or gain some expert tips for what to look out for among the pebbles, regular guided fossil walks can be booked in advance through the Lyme Regis Museum. www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk

ALAMY; DUNCAN MAXWELL/ROBERT HARDING; RON DAVIES 2005

NORTH BEACH TENBY, PEMBROKESHIRE Overlooked by Tenby’s colourful collection of Victorian townhouses, this sheltered curve of golden sand holds pride of place along the town’s seafront between the Harbour Beach and North Cliffs. With shops and cafes along the promenade and an ice-cream van that makes its way down onto the sands, North Beach is the perfect spot for family picnics. Children will love exploring rock pools along this Blue Flag beach while never being too far away from the watchful eyes of their parents! www.visitpembrokeshire.com

SANDWOOD BAY SUTHERLAND, SCOTLAND If your idea of the perfect beach is white sand, a turquoise sea and hardly a soul in sight, Sandwood Bay may be the beach for you (as long as you’re not expecting tropical temperatures). Located in the northwest

reaches of Scotland, this beach is said to be one of the best and most secluded in the country. Paying a visit here involves a four-mile trek across moorland, but the effort is well rewarded with dramatic views out across the North Atlantic. www.jmt.org/sandwood-estate.asp

GWITHIAN AND GODREVY NEAR HAYLE, CORNWALL Cornwall has long been known as a hotspot for surfing, with many of its beaches attracting amateurs and experts alike each year. Whether you’re a seasoned surfer or keen to test your balancing skills and ride the waves for the first time this summer, the adjoining beaches of Gwithian and Godrevy cater for all abilities. Beginners can make their way over the sand dunes to the gentle surf of Gwithian Beach in St Ives Bay, while experts at ‘hanging ten’ can head to Godrevy for something a little more challenging. If you prefer to stay out of the water altogether and merely watch the pros at work, there are some great cliff-top viewing points from Godrevy Head, where surfers – and seals – can be seen at play around the headland. www.visitcornwall.com Q

Top left: Antony Gormley’s Another Place adds to the interest at Crosby. Top right: Surf’s up at Gwithian, Cornwall. Above middle: North Beach, Tenby. Above: Ammonites and other fossils can be found along the coast at Lyme Regis

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Escape | Days Out

Top left: Windsor Castle’s Round Tower. Top right: 1st Duke of Wellington. Above: The castle’s Waterloo Chamber. Inset: Napoleon’s red cloak is on display

Windsor Castle BERKSHIRE

WORDS BY HELEN BEER; THE ROYAL COLLECTION © HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II

200 years after Napoleon’s momentous defeat at Waterloo, discover more about the battle and its aftermath at Windsor Castle

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s Europe remembers the Battle of Waterloo this June, Windsor Castle, which has been home to British kings and queens for nearly 1,000 years, is marking the anniversary with a special exhibition revealing the fascination of past monarchs with Waterloo and the French Emperor Napoleon. George IV collected an array of items linked to Napoleon and the battle which are on display throughout Windsor’s State Apartments. Visitors will be able to see Napoleon’s red felt cloak, embroidered with silver thread and lined with yellow silk brocade, which was seized from his baggage train at the battle. Other highlights include a Chippendale chair, made from an elm tree which stood on the ridge where the Duke of Wellington made the final advance on Napoleon, and The Table des Grands Capitaines, commissioned by Napoleon to immortalise his reign and decorated with images of great leaders and philosophers of the past. George IV’s great personal interest in Napoleon led him to create the Waterloo Chamber, one of Windsor

Castle’s grandest state rooms and a permanent monument to the battle. The chamber holds 37 portraits of people who were instrumental in the victory. Dominating the room is the portrait of the Duke of Wellington, who led the British troops in the Allied victory. The largest and oldest inhabited castle in the world, Windsor clearly displays the taste and influence of the 39 monarchs who have lived here. The State Apartments hold some of the Royal Collection’s most important works of art, including pieces by Rembrandt and Rubens, many of them in the same setting they were commissioned for. During a visit to the castle, don’t miss the world’s most famous dolls’ house, which features electricity, running water and even flushing toilets. Built by renowned British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House also boasts tiny contents made with incredible attention to detail by leading artists and craftsmen – right down to the library with original works by famous authors of the day and a fully stocked wine cellar. Q

Getting here: By car, take the M4 to Junction 6 or the M3 to Junction 3. Windsor Castle is situated off the High Street near the town centre. There is no parking at the castle. By train, Windsor and Eton Central or Windsor and Eton Riverside are both approximately a 10-minute walk. More information: Waterloo at Windsor runs until 13 January 2016. Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1NJ. Tel: 020 7766 7304. www.royalcollect ion.org.uk

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 75

Escape | Days Out

SALISBURY, WILTSHIRE

Visit the former Salisbury home of Sir Edward Heath as a new exhibition space opens to mark 50 years since he became leader of the Conservative Party

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he first leader of the Conservative Party not to have been educated at a public school, Sir Edward Heath would go on to become Prime Minister from 1970 to 1974. Heath’s term in office came at a time of economic uncertainty that would see a number of industrial strikes take place in Britain, including the miners’ strikes of 1972 and 1974. Sir Edward died in 2005 and his Grade II-listed former home in Salisbury was opened to the public in 2008; it remains largely as he left it to this day. The impressive 18th-century house and its two acres of walled garden have seen the addition of a designated exhibition space this year in time to mark the 50th anniversary of Sir Edward becoming the leader of the Conservative Party. The exhibition Ready, Steady, Go: Images of Britain in 1965 opens this summer and will set this event in the wider context of social change. Meanwhile, another exhibition, Heath the Soldier, runs until early July and explores Sir Edward’s military record and his experiences of war, which were fundamental to forming his political views. Visitors to Arundells will also be able to learn more 76 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

about Sir Edward’s private life and pastimes as well as his political career. As a world-class yachtsman, Sir Edward is the only British Prime Minister to have won an international sporting trophy, the Admiral’s Cup – an esteemed honour among sailing aficionados. Sir Edward’s collection of yachting memorabilia is also on display in the house, including seascapes and trophies along with pictures and models of his Morning Cloud boats, which he raced competitively from 1969 until 1986. Tragically the third of his five Morning Cloud boats was lost in a storm off the coast of Sussex in September 1974 with the loss of two crew members, Christopher Chadd and Nigel Cumming. The bow of Morning Cloud 3 has been retrieved and restored and is being loaned to Arundells as a memorial. A unique mix of political, sailing and musical artefacts and memorabilia can be found throughout the house, reflecting Heath’s achievements as a statesman, musician and art collector. For anyone with an interest in British politics, Arundells is a fitting tribute to Sir Edward’s life and legacy. Q

Getting there: By car, from London exit M3 at junction 8 to join A303 to Salisbury. From the south follow A30 then A303. From the north, take M40, A34 and A303. By train, Salisbury station is 15 minutes away on foot. More information: Open for guided tours Sat-Wed until 4 November. Booking is recommended. Also open Bank Holiday Sun- Mon. Arundells, 59 Cathedral Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP1 2EN Tel: 01722 326 546. www.arundells.org

ARUNDELLS

Arundells

Top left: Arundells dates from the 1700s. Top right: The Drawing Room. Above: Sir Edward Heath in his youth

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Escape | Weekend Away

1920S MINI CINEMA

Armley Mills With just 26 seats, this mini-cinematic experience is a far-cry from the vast, high-tech auditoriums of today. Although a replica design, it is true to the original 1920s cinemas that once dotted the land, complete with fixtures and fittings salvaged from Armley’s old Palace Picture House, which closed in 1964. Perhaps the most modern addition is its DVD projector, replacing the celluloid versions of old. Today, the cinema shows a range of short movies for special film nights, events and private hire, after its day job duties as an exhibit in its own right at Leeds Industrial Museum are completed. www.leeds.gov.uk/armleymills

Leeds YORKSHIRE

Known for its vibrant nightlife, shops and events, Leeds also holds a variety of hidden assets

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here’s much to love about Leeds. With entertainment geared to please its student contingent, the city also has quieter spaces of beauty and a few surprises. Don’t miss the Leeds Food and Drink Festival from 22 May to 7 June, with its cookery demonstrations and stalls laden with the region’s finest fare. Sport is in the spotlight too this year, with the Rugby World Cup 2015 scheduled to arrive in the city from 26-27 September, while on the back of last year’s major cycling event, the Grand Départ of the Tour de France, a new bike race will be staged, giving amateurs the opportunity to experience the route ridden by the pros. Heritage left over from the medieval and industrial ages is a reminder of times that saw great prosperity in the region. Examples of this are Kirkstall Abbey, just over three miles from the centre; and Armley Mills, the world’s largest woollen mill. Discover prehistoric finds, such as the Leeds Tiger, at the City Museum, and visit Leeds Art Gallery to view a significant collection of 20th-century works. In October 2015, the gallery will host the prestigious British Arts Show, which showcases the best work of emerging and established talent – the largest touring exhibition of contemporary art in Britain.

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HENRY MOORE SCULPTURE

Leeds Art Gallery

Getting there: By car, Leeds is easily accessible via the M1 from the north and south, and the M62 east and west. By train, Virgin Trains serve Leeds from London King’s Cross, while CrossCountry operate from the south-west routes through the Midlands to Leeds. To book your tickets go to www.thetrainline.com More information: www.visitleeds.co.uk

The 20th-century Yorkshire-born artist and sculptor became a household name in the British art establishment, honing his talent at Leeds Art College where he paved the way for others in sculpture – the college even set him up with his own studio. Among the gallery’s various works by Moore is the Reclining Woman: Elbow bronze, situated on a plinth at Henry Moore’s request, just outside the gallery. Another eye-catching work currently on show here is Three Motives against Wall No.1 (1958), on display until 24 March 2016. Visitors may like to pop to the adjoining Henry Moore Institute, a research centre, exhibition venue and sculpture archive. www.leeds.gov.uk/artgallery

JACOBEAN TRAVELLING LIBRARY

The Brotherton Library, University of Leeds Tucked away in the Brotherton Collection – the private library amassed in the 1920s by Yorkshire industrialist Sir Edward Allen Brotherton that came to the university in 1936 – is this 17th-century miniature bookcase bound within a large leather volume. Inside are three shelves holding a collection of ornately designed works. Commissioned by MP William Hakewell as gifts for his friends, this particular library was made for an Irish Univers family, the Maddens, whose family coat of arms can be of Exete seen on the inside cover. http://library.leeds.ac.uk

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A6

Chapel Allerton

Roundhay

Headingley A58

Bramley

Woodhouse Harehills

BILL BACHMANN/ROBERT HARDING; THE HENRY MOORE FOUNDATION; ROYAL ARMOURIES; LEEDS CITY COUNCIL; JACOBEAN TRAVELLING LIBRARY REPRODUCED WITH THE PERMISSION OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, LEEDS UNIVERSITY LIBRARY; WORDS BY VICKY SARTAIN

Leeds Woodhouse Holbeck

CHIPPENDALE TABLE

Temple Newsam M621

Beeston

ELEPHANT ARMOUR

Royal Armouries, Leeds This near-complete 16th/17thcentury elephant suit of armour protected the pachyderm from threat during the (pre-firearm) era of wars in India. The suit as it stands weighs 118kg, and complete would have been 159kg – a number which ensured its place within the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest and heaviest armour. Engraved with scenes from nature, it comprises 8,450 iron plates held together by rivets. www.royalarmouries.org

M1

The Tudor-Jacobean mansion of Temple Newsam is a treasure in itself and its furnishings are suitably lavish. The most significant Chippendale piece is the Harewood writing table, made by Thomas Chippendale the Elder (1718-79), for the Library of Edwin Lascelles at Harewood House. Considered the ultimate of late 18thcentury English marquetry furniture, it reached a record sale price of £41,000 at auction in 1965. Exposure to daylight has reduced its lustre but the elaborate decoration is a spectacle. www.leeds.gov.uk/templenewsam

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ESCAPE TO

INVERNESS-SHIRE

GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

PLAN YOUR VISIT TO THE LOCH NESS AND SPEYSIDE AREA

URQUHART CASTLE

Explore romantic ruins on the edge of Loch Ness (see page 91) discoverbritainmag.com APRIL/MAY 2015 | 81

ESCAPE TO Inverness-shire Slug

HEART OF THE HIGHLANDS

Head to the Scottish Highlands where the dramatic landscape is speckled with wildlife, castles and history as well as the highest restaurant in Britain WORDS SHEENA HARVEY

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he city of Inverness is regarded as the Capital of the Highlands of Scotland. The mighty Loch Ness, famous throughout the world for its legendary ‘monster’, leads from Inverness right across the narrow waist of the country and serves, in part, to link the North Sea with the Atlantic. The area around Inverness reveals a dramatic story of the Scottish clans and their fight for their land throughout history, in particular to save it from the grasping hands of the English. As a consequence there are many castles and

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fortresses, some now only romantic ruins, which all have a tale to tell. The River Spey runs through this landscape and its soft, peaty waters have given rise to many of Scotland’s most famous whisky brands. Most of the distilleries are open to visitors to see the magic of turning grain into world-class Speyside single malts. The Cairngorm mountain range dominates the country south of Inverness. Its snow-capped peaks provide skiing and other winter sports in season, with walking and climbing in the warmer months.

Ancient Caledonian pine forests on the lower slopes of Cairngorm Mountain host a wealth of wildlife little seen in other parts of the country. Red squirrels, pine marten, capercaillie, black grouse, Scottish crossbills and crested tits can be spied out among the trees if you’re patient enough. At Loch Garten and the Loch of the Lowes in the summer months there are good opportunities to see ospreys nesting, while on the heather hillsides you can find red deer and wild goats across this untamed landscape. www.visitscotland.com

TRAVEL TIP

JULIE FRYER IMAGES / ALAMY

Don’t forget to pack your walking boots!

Woodland surrounding Loch Garten at the RSPB Abernethy Forest National Nature Reserve, Cairngorms discoverbritainmag.com APRIL/MAY 2015 | 83

ESCAPE TO Inverness-shire

[CASTLE]

Cawdor Castle

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DON’T MISS Cawdor’s flower garden is French influenced and is not to be missed over summer as it has been designed to be a riot of colour throughout the warmer months

ROBERT HARDING; ALAMY

17th century onwards his castle is known the world over thanks by travelling Cawdors. to Shakespeare’s Macbeth, in which the There’s a surprise three witches predict that Macbeth will waiting if you walk become Thane of Cawdor. The play through the Big Wood was written to be performed for King James I of to the Auchindoune England/VI of Scotland, who would have been Gardens that lie beside the Cawdor dower house. familiar with the castle from his days growing up in The 5th Earl, Jack Cawdor, was an explorer in the Scotland. In truth, however, Cawdor is 14th century 1920s and famed for an arduous expedition to the and the real Macbeth 11th century, so never the little-known gorges of Tibet in search of rare plants. twain would have met. The original castle was a tower house, four storeys He used the samples he brought back to create a replica Tibetan landscape of quiet walks, flowerhigh and built to protect the Cawdor family in those filled slopes and rushing water which has since been rough and ready days. Through the centuries it restored from the 1980s onwards. has been added to and softened by opulent home The castle is open every day furnishings, paintings by the likes of from the beginning of May to the Sir Joshua Reynolds, and the latest Top: Cawdor comes beginning of October. The Tibetan (for their time) kitchen equipment, with fairytale appeal. Garden is open Tuesdays and to reflect 18th and 19th-century Inset: The gardens Thursdays between May and August good living. It is still a family home, add a burst of colour (other times by appointment). with extensive gardens that blend to the grounds of this Tel: 01667 404 401; ancient Scottish trees and flowers grand castle www.cawdorcastle.com with exotics brought here from the

[WILDLIFE]

Black Isle

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etween Cromarty Firth in the north and the Beauly and Moray Firths in the south and east, there is a piece of land which is neither particularly black nor an island; rather it is a peninsula which links to Inverness via the Kessock Bridge and enjoys a mild climate and rich farmland. This area of villages, pretty harbours, rolling hills, deciduous woodland and sandy beaches is gentler than the surrounding, more rugged Scotland with its heather moorland and pine forests. Passing through the golf course at Fortrose leads to Chanonry Point, one of the best places in the UK to see dolphins from the shore. As the tide rushes through the narrow channel between this part of the Black Isle and the Fort George promontory on the mainland, it concentrates salmon and other fish making their way up river. This bounty of fish draws dolphins in numbers to feed and, because the channel slopes down very quickly from the shore to great depth, it’s possible for them to come in very close. Those visiting the area are able to stand on the shingle at Chanonry Point and watch dolphins breaking the surface of the sea only 15m (50ft) away. It can be a very windy spot, though, so it is a good idea to wrap up warm for a prolonged Right: Scottish spell of dolphin-watching. salmon is a delicacy www.black-isle.info that even playful dolphins can’t resist

[BATTLEFIELD]

Culloden Battlefield

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the carrying of weapons were banned. he battle fought on Culloden Many dispossessed Scottish families moor on 16 April 1746 altered emigrated across the Atlantic. the course of British, and The amazing visitor centre at the particularly Scottish, history. site of Culloden tells the whole story, The last set-piece battle to be staged from the lead-up to the battle to the on British soil, it was comprehensively aftermath, in vivid interactive exhibits lost by the Jacobite supporters of the and Living History tableaux. The sights Bonnie Prince, Charles Edward Stuart, and sounds of the times are so movingly who had been struggling to restore presented that, when you emerge from the Stuart bloodline to the throne the buildings out onto the battlefield after it was given to the Hanoverian itself, you feel transported back to those William of Orange and his wife Mary by grim events. And even though the moor the Scottish and English parliaments. is bleak and featureless you can imagine After the battle, which lasted only one the two armies facing each other that hour, the Prince left Britain, never to fateful morning and see just how the return, and the government set out Jacobites came to grief. to destroy Highland The visitor centre is society in brutal fashion. Left: Step back open from 1 February to Clan chiefs lost their in time at this 23 December. land, legal rights and atmospheric and Tel: 0844 493 2159; property. The wearing of infamous battlefield www.nts.org.uk/culloden tartan and the kilt, and discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 85

ESCAPE TO Inverness-shire

[LAKE]

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standing by the side of the loch in the early he geological fault line that runs morning with a mist floating over the gently from Fort William in the southwest lapping waves, or in the evening as the sun to Inverness in the northeast is sets and the water goes inky black, you known as the Great Glen and could believe that something mysterious it splits Scotland in two. At its heart lies just might live in the depths. Loch Ness, 23 miles long and 230m (755ft) Drumnadrochit, on the northwest side of deep, home of the legendary monster. The the loch, is the tourist hub of the area, but all prospect of seeing Nessie draws thousands around the loch there are craft workshops of people every year to the loch’s shores to and art galleries, gardens and historic sites stare at the vast expanse of water for the to enjoy. The Fiddler’s pub and restaurant, merest hint of a scaly hump breaking the opposite the tourist surface. Despite numerous information office in the scientific studies using centre of Drumnadrochit, sonar and hydrographic Above: Loch Ness is one of the largest offers a friendly welcome surveys, the existence of a lakes in Scotland. and an uncountable number large, prehistoric creature Inset: Will you catch of malt whiskies to sample. has never been conclusively a glimpse of the The scenery in the area is established, and there are legendary Nessie stunning, with ancient pine many doubters, but the hunt during a visit? forests and heather moors goes on. Certainly, if you are

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which are possibly best appreciated from a boat. There are cruises, boat trips of all sorts available all year round, or you could paddle yourself in a kayak or canoe. If you prefer to be land-based you can walk, cycle, ride and drive the numerous roads, footpaths and bridleways surrounding this intriguing spot. www.visitlochness.com; www.nessie.co.uk; www.fiddledrum.co.uk

RICHARD ASHWORTH/ROBERT HARDING; MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY; ALAMY

Loch Ness

[TRAIL]

Scottish Malt Whisky Trail

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his is billed as the only malt whisky trail in the world, and it certainly covers one of the most famous whisky producing areas in Scotland, Speyside. The Trail takes in eight distilleries – including Glenfiddich, Glen Livet, Strathisla and Cardhu – and the ancient Speyside cooperage where the whisky barrels are still made in the traditional manner with time-honoured tools. Each distillery has its own unique traditions and recipes to discover. If you’re curious to know how and why the distillation of grain and water makes each type of uisghe beatha, ‘water of life’, so distinctive, and how to enjoy the best of the flavour, then following the trail at your leisure will reveal all. If, having been on the trail, you develop a taste for the amber liquid, Right: There’s more you may wish to visit one of the than a wee dram in the barrels at the Speyside Whisky Festivals held in Glenfiddich Distillery May and September. www.maltwhiskytrail.com

[HOTEL]

Grant Arms and Grantown-on-Spey

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his historic 50-bedroom hotel in the main square of Grantownon-Spey was a stopping off point for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on their tour of the Highlands in 1860. Not surprising, as it is a good base from which to tour the area. The modern hotel has comfortable ensuite rooms and top-class dining. Birdsong rather than musak greets you as you enter the reception area, and there are board games and jigsaws in the bar to entertain visitors of all ages once back from a day of exploring. The hotel also runs a Birdwatching and Wildlife Club with experts on hand to advise, as well as clubrooms and a library of wildlife books, maps and suggested routes. The Club produces The Watcher, a monthly magazine on the area’s wildlife, and Daily Chirp bulletins on the breakfast table with suggested wildlife activities and sightings for the day. Guided wildlife walks can be arranged, including a dawn chorus walk in the extensive and ancient Anagach Woods less than five minutes’ walk away. There’s a high likelihood of seeing red squirrels in the wood, especially where it borders the local golf course, and you can stroll down Left: This historic to the River Spey in the hope of finding wild hotel is a great base for exploring the otters along its course. area and its wildlife Tel: 01479 872 526; www.grantarmshotel.com discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 87

ESCAPE TO Inverness-shire

[NATIONAL PARK]

Cairngorms National Park As Britain’s largest National Park, and only one of two in Scotland, Cairngorms is home to some fantastic scenery and wildlife as well as a range of winter and water sports

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In summer there are water sports he 4,528 sq km (1,748 sq miles) of the park available on the rivers and lochs in encompass Britain’s highest mountain range, Right: The view from above Avielochan, with Cairngorm Mountain itself as the impressive the park, as well as cycling, walking, north of Aviemore. golf and fishing, all set in the most pinnacle. Here, there are 55 summits that are Below left: Spot amazing scenery. There are 12 ranger over 900m (2,950ft) and hundreds of miles of trails taking golden eagles within stations, paid for by a combination of you through a huge variety of habitats – mountain the National Park. the private estates in and around the climbs, hill walks, strolls through ancient woodlands, Below: Loch Garten area, the local authority, charitable beside rivers and round lochs. In winter you can ski or trusts and a community group. The snowboard from the resort on Cairngorm Mountain, rangers manage the landscape and the visitors, and where you can also take lessons and hire all manner of take care of the historical and natural heritage, which equipment. Mountain lifts and a funicular railway convey includes 25 per cent of the country’s most you from the car park to Top Station at endangered wildlife. The visitor centre 1,097m (3,599ft). Even if you are not a skier, DID YOU KNOW? at Loch Garten focuses on the annual this trip is worth the effort as the view 1097 (formerly known migration of ospreys to breed and the from the panoramic 1097 restaurant is as the Ptarmigan) is ancient woodlands offer some of the best spectacular on a clear day. Even if the cloud the highest restaurant places to see the UK’s only endemic bird, is down around the mountaintop, there’s in Britain. Located at the striking orange Scottish crossbill. still a chance of catching a glimpse of snowy Cairngorm Mountain’s Speyside Wildlife (www.speysidewildlife. white ptarmigan and Arctic hares from the Top Station, 1097 co.uk) provides expert guided tours and viewing terrace, and the stark white, eerily can be reached wildlife holidays in the Highlands, and quiet atmosphere outside the bustle of the via another has its own hide where you can view pine station is an experience to have before you record-breaker, the martens and badgers. retreat indoors to indulge in a creamy hot highest funicular railway in Britain! www.cairngorms.co.uk chocolate or two!

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Slug TRAVEL TIP

ALAMY

Pack your binoculars to spot birds of prey

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 89

Alladale Wilderness Reserve offers a unique opportunity to enjoy private, luxurious accommodation in an incredible remote location surrounded by the glen and the ancient Caledonian forest. The team at Alladale are happy to arrange any number of activities to enjoy during your stay such as golf, clay pigeon shooting, fishing, whisky distillery tours or visiting local castles and nearby historic towns for a taste of what makes the Scottish Highlands so popular. Exclusive rental, starting from £6,000 per week, for 7 double bedrooms which caters for upto 14 guests.

Alladale Wilderness Reserve Remote Luxury in the Scottish Highlands Contact Judith [email protected] 07770 419671 for your tailor-made holiday www.alladale.com

ESCAPE TO Inverness-shire

[CASTLE]

URQUHART CASTLE

GETTY IMAGES; SEBASTIAN WASEK / ROBERTHARDING

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he picturesque ruins of 800-year-old Urquhart Castle lie in a most defendable position, surrounded on three sides by Loch Ness and next to its deepest part. From here you get a real feel for the vast length of this stretch of water and how isolated it must have been in its heyday, but also how imposing the castle must have been in the Highland landscape. Throughout its history it was the focus of many a skirmish between rival clans, notably the MacDonalds, Lords of the Isles. It was symbolic in the Scots’ struggle for independence, having been captured in 1296 by the English, and changed hands several times until it came to be controlled by the ultimate King of Scots, Robert the Bruce, in the early 14th century. Climbing the tower house, which was built in the 1500s when all the earlier fighting had ceased, gives good views over the entire site with the remains of its chapel, workshops and living quarters laid out below. Sadly, the Jacobite Risings in the 17th century brought conflict to the castle once more and led to its destruction. When government troops garrisoned here were sent to a new posting they blew it up so that

Above: Enjoy the views of Loch Ness. Inset: The castle ruins remain an impressive sight

it could not be used by rebels ever again. Today, visitors can explore the castle ruins and make their way through old doorways to discover the jigsaw of spaces left between the ancient stonework remains. Before you do so, it’s well worth spending a few minutes watching the audio-visual presentation in the visitor centre. This tells the dramatic story of the castle and its place in Scottish history, and ends with a surprising revelation. Also in the centre is a full-scale model of the castle as it would have been and a cafe with wonderful views over the loch. Tel: 01456 450551; www.historic-scotland.gov.uk

DID YOU KNOW? The discovery of a Pictish brooch at Urquhart hints that the castle may also have been the site of a Pictish fort once visited by St Columbus around AD 580.

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 91

ESCAPE TO Inverness-shire Slug

FACT FILE

Everything you need to know to plan your visit to Inverness-shire

WHEN TO GO

Spring: There may still be snow

on the Cairngorms but it should be possible to take the funicular railway to Top Station and walk back down for the chance of seeing ptarmigan and Arctic hares. From mid-March osprey return to nest at Loch Garten. Summer: Although the midges can be a nuisance and there are more tourists, Loch Ness looks stunning in the sunshine. The Speyside Steam Railway offers

INFORMATION www.visitscotland.com

Black Isle Inverness Urquhart Castle

WHERE TO STAY

The Grant Arms Grantown-on-Spey From £70 per person per night, dinner, bed & breakfast On the town square, the hotel has 50 ensuite bedrooms.

picturesque journeys through the National Park from Aviemore to Broomhill. Autumn: The moors turn purple with the heather in late August, but this is the time of year to see the impressive red deer rut and enjoy walks in the ancient woodlands as they take on myriad autumn colours. Time to sit by a log fire and enjoy a dram of whisky, too! Winter: Aviemore becomes a playground for skiers and snowboarders. The square at Grantown is closed off for the Hogmanay celebrations with live music and dancing in the streets. In the town of Burghead on 11 January there’s the ancient custom of the Burning of the Clavie where a peat and wood filled herring barrel is set alight and paraded through the streets for good luck in the coming year.

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WILDLIFE WATCHING

Speyside Wildlife Ballieward, Grantown-on-Spey If you want to see the special wildlife that the Highlands has to offer – red deer, black grouse, pine martens, otters, capercaillie, red squirrels, bottlenose dolphins and minke whales, among many other species – you can join one of Speyside’s organised days out or hire one of their expert guides for a tailor-made package. Group sizes are small and transport is provided. Speyside has access to some areas not open to the general public and they know where you can hope to find even the shyest of creatures, so although wildlife watching is often a matter of luck, their professionals can give you the best possible chance. Tel: 01479 812 498 www.speysidewildlife.co.uk

Eiland View Bed & Breakfast Woodside of Culloden, Westhill, Inverness From £35 per person per night, including full Scottish breakfast This luxury 3-roomed B&B is only a couple of miles from the battlefield of Culloden with its atmospheric visitor centre, and 15 minutes’ drive from Inverness Airport. The comfortable modern house has panoramic views over the Moray Firth. Tel: 01463 798 900 www.eilandview.com

Clansman Hotel Brackla, Loch Ness-side From £89 per room, per night Right on the side of Loch Ness, this 26-room hotel offers fantastic views of the loch. Meals using local produce are served in the Cobbs Restaurant where you can watch out of the windows for an appearance by Nessie in the loch opposite. Tel: 01456 450 326 www.lochnessview.com

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92 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

Cawdor Castle

Grantown-on-Spey

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By car, from the west, the A82 from Glasgow follows the length of the Great Glen and Loch Ness to Inverness; from the east, the A9 leads up from Edinburgh via Perth and skirts the Cairngorms National Park. By air, the nearest airport is Inverness with flights from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Luton and Gatwick. By train, Aviemore Station has direct services from Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh.

Reasonably priced packages for 4 and 7 nights are available, as well as specialist wildlife stays throughout the year, and Christmas and Hogmanay specials. The on-site Bird Watching and Wildlife Club provides residents with free evening talks and film shows and at least two free guided wildlife walks a week. Tel: 01479 872 526 www.grantarmshotel.com

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GETTING THERE

Cairngorm Mountain

COMPETITION

Win

a two-night stay at The Grant Arms Hotel in the Scottish Highlands, an ideal base for exploring surrounding towns and countryside

THE PRIZE Enjoy a two-night stay, including dinner, bed and breakfast, for two people sharing a double or twin room at The Grant Arms.

BY POST: Send your answer, name and contact details to Grant Arms Hotel Competition, Discover Britain, Archant House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 1BB. ONLINE: Visit www.discoverbritainmag.com and click on ‘Competitions & Offers’ to enter the competition online. TERMS & CONDITIONS: Closing date for all entries is 31 August 2015. Prize to be taken between 1 October 2015 and 31 March 2016, excluding Christmas, New Year, Easter and special events. Subject to availability. Transport is not provided. Prize non transferable. No cash alternative. Employees (and relatives) of The Chelsea Magazine Company are not eligible to enter. Winners’ names may be published. By entering this competition you agree and acknowledge that The Chelsea Magazine Company is permitted to receive your registration data.



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he Grant Arms Hotel is in the perfect position for a leisurely break in Speyside, with the snow-capped Cairngorm mountain range on the doorstep and historic Inverness and environs close by. At any time of year, the area around Grantown-on-Spey offers fascinating attractions to the visitor. From skiing and fishing to visiting the sites of some of the most famous events in history, a weekend in this part of the world will be a breath of fresh air. The cosy Grant Arms with its top-class cuisine, comfortable ensuite bedrooms and extensive menu of single malt whiskies will extend a warm welcome to the winners of this two-night break. The on-site Bird Watching and Wildlife Club can provide guidance on the best places to see red squirrels, pine martens, dolphins, red deer and a multitude of interesting birds, as well as talks and organised walks with experts. The friendly hotel staff can also help with advice on historic sites to visit, beautiful countryside to explore and local crafts to enjoy. Throughout the centuries, this part of Scotland has produced some of the most famous names in history, as well as iconic brands such as Walkers shortbread and Glenfiddich whisky: here’s your chance to discover their origins for yourself.

HOW TO ENTER In which year did Queen Victoria and Prince Albert stay at  The Grant Arms Hotel on their tour of the Highlands? A 1850

B 1860

C 1870

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GARDENS TO VISIT Why not spend a magical day in one of Britain’s truly gorgeous Gardens? Look over our chosen selection of Gardens to Visit for something special this Spring HHA/CHRISTIE’S GARDEN OF THE YEAR 2015: RENISHAW HALL & GARDENS

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A must for any garden lover, with eight acres of classical Italianate gardens - created by Sir George Sitwell, great-grandfather of current owner Alexandra. Seasonal highlights include bluebells, delphiniums, camellias, roses and stunning ‘white garden’. Opening times, Wed to Sun and Bank Holiday Mon, 10.30am-4.30pm until 27th Sept 2015. Please see our website for admissions and details of special entry for RHS and HHA members with valid card. Public hall tours on Fri at 1pm and 2.30pm, booking advised. Group tours of the hall throughout the year by appointment. Tel: +44 (0) 1246 432310 Email: [email protected] Website: www.renishaw-hall.co.uk

Photo credit Harpur Garden Images

ROUSHAM HOUSE & GARDEN

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Rousham represents the first phase of English landscape design, and remains almost as William Kent left it, one of the few gardens of this date to have escaped alteration, with many features which delighted 18th century visitors to Rousham still in situ, such as the ponds and cascades in Venus’s Vale, the Cold Bath and seven-arched Praeneste, Townsend’s Building, the Temple of the Mill, and, on the skyline, a sham ruin known as the ‘Eyecatcher’. OPEN: Daily from 10am, last admission 4.30pm. Tel: +44 (0) 869 347110 Website: www.rousham.org

HIMALAYAN GARDEN

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Visit our inspiring garden, 20 acres of beautiful walks & lakes with plant nursery for quality & hardy plants. Group visits and talks are available, please contact us for further information. Limited wheelchair access. Dogs on leads welcome. Easter Week Special: Fri 3rd April - Sun 12th April. Open: Tues to Sun and Bank Holidays 10am - 4pm. Admission: £7.50 (Children under 12 FREE). Refreshments available from our tearoom. Nursery & mail order plant sales available all year. Website: www.himalayangarden.com

Photo credit Julien Lightfoot

ABBOTSBURY SUBTROPICAL GARDENS

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A recent winner of the HHA/Christie’s Garden of the Year Award, and described by Alan Titchmarsh as “One of the finest gardens I have ever visited”. Abbotsbury is celebrating its 250th anniversary during 2015, with new features including a Burma Rope Bridge, lots of special events and more fabulous plants. 2015 is definitely the year to visit Abbotsbury. Open every day except 19th Dec to 1st Jan inclusive, 10.00am to 5.00pm or 4.00pm in winter. Tel: +44 (0) 1305 871130 Email: [email protected]

EXBURY GARDENS AND STEAM RAILWAY

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Exbury is world-renowned for its truly dazzling spring colour. April is the time to enjoy one of the country’s finest collections of rhododendrons. With a myriad of pathways to explore, breathtaking views at every turn, a Steam Railway, licensed Tea Rooms and free parking, the enchanting 200 acre woodland garden is a must-stop destination for visitors to the New Forest. Open: 14 March to 8 November, 10am to 4.30pm last admission. Adults £12.10*, Children £2.75*, Family £25.85* including voluntary donation. Exbury, Southampton, Hampshire, SO45 1AZ. Tel: +44 (0) 2380 81203 Email: [email protected] Website: www.exbury.co.uk

Crossword Challenge your knowledge of Britain’s history, legends and people with our puzzle page DOWN

ACROSS

ALAMY

8 Tributary of the Thames that flows through the Cotswolds (8) 9 Fresh bracing sea air (5) 10 __ Stoker, author of Dracula (4) 11 Port and resort on the southeast coast of Kent (10) 12 Camelot magician (6) 14 Lord __, fictional character in the Blandings stories by PG Wodehouse (8) 15 Ecclesiastical area ruled by a bishop (7) 17 One of Shakespeare’s plays (7) 20 Landscape painter who was an official war artist in both World Wars (4,4)

22 Enid __, popular children’s author (see above) (6) 23 Composer of Rule, Britannia (6,4) 24 Architect of St Paul’s Cathedral in London (4) 25 Jousting weapon (5) 26 Fanfare played by brass instruments (8)

Think you have all the answers? We’ll reveal the solutions to this crossword in issue 189 (December 2015/January 2016), on sale from 18 November

1 19th-century prime minister, a favourite of Queen Victoria (8) 2 Surname of neo-Classical architect brothers Robert and James (4) 3 Sea bird with a colourful beak (6) 4 Poet born in 1792 in Field Place near Horsham in Sussex (7) 5 County renowned for the production of cider (8) 6 Renowned Field Marshal in the Second World War (10) 7 Tributary of the Thames flowing through Marlborough, Hungerford and Newbury (6) 13 The largest freshwater Scottish lake (4,6) 16 Essex airport serving London (8) 18 Lost kingdom of Arthurian legend (8) 19 Formerly, the chief executive officer of the Crown in a county (7) 21 Blair –, Perthshire tourist centre at the junction of the Tilt and Garry rivers (6) 22 Worcestershire village with a 14th-century barn preserved by the National Trust (6) 24 Lancashire river (below) flows into the Irish Sea at Fleetwood (4)

Solution to crossword in issue 183 (December 2014/January 2015): Across: 1 Walton, 4 Cherwell, 10 Stage door, 11 Besom, 12 Bude, 13 Ilfracombe, 15 Red kite, 16 Wesley, 19 Joshua, 21 St Leger, 23 Elterwater, 25 Tees, 27 Earls, 28 Orchestra, 29 Skegness, 30 Bronze Down: 1 Westbury, 2 Llandudno, 3 Odes, 5 Hardraw, 6 Raby Castle, 7 Epsom, 8 Limpet, 9 Collie, 14 Richardson, 17 Eggleston, 18 Dressage, 20 Amazons, 21 Spence, 22 Levens, 24 Tiree, 26 Wear

discoverbritainmag.com JUNE/JULY 2015 | 97

Great British Adventurers

Sky-high ambitions Pilot Amy Johnson was the first female to fly solo from Britain to Australia

Above: British aviator, Amy Johnson. Below: Johnson in front of her Gipsy Moth just before she undertook a 19-day flight to Australia

break records and push boundaries. Her personal life was more of a challenge. After six years of marriage to her pilot husband, James Mollison, she divorced him, in 1938, on grounds of his adultery and heavy drinking, but it hadn’t all been disastrous. Together, they had achieved a record as the first husband and wife team to cross the Atlantic from east to west, and pushed each other to greater success. Johnson continued to achieve, on land and in the air. Her stardom had brought many opportunities, including the Amy Johnson Cup for Courage awards (held to this day) in recognition 98 | JUNE/JULY 2015 discoverbritainmag.com

of any act of outstanding bravery by a child born in Hull. She also wrote a book about her career, Sky Roads of the World, and was appointed national leader of the Women’s Air Reserve. With the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, Amy joined the Air Transport Auxiliary, to assist the RAF efforts. The details surrounding her tragic death, in January 1941, are unclear but it appears that she was either mistakenly shot down or lost control over the Thames estuary on a routine flight. Nevertheless, her legacy as a courageous pilot has ensured her place in the history books. Q Amy Johnson memorabilia can be seen at Sewerby Hall in Yorkshire. www.sewerbyhall.co.uk Her de Havilland Gipsy Moth is on display at the Science Museum. www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

GETTY IMAGES

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he daring feats of aviation performed by 20th-century pilot Amy Johnson were unparalleled for the era. Taking to the skies from an early age, the Hull-born heroine made her record-setting journey to Australia in her de Havilland Moth biplane when just 26 years old. Having graduated from Sheffield University with an Economics degree in 1925, Johnson could have so easily joined the ranks of office workers, but her obsession with aviation was too strong to see her cooped up for long. Moving to London for work as a shorthand typist, she soon became disenchanted with her role and joined the newly established de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School at Edgware to sign up for flying lessons. The demands of the course led to an ultimatum: it was either the office or flying. It was not a hard decision. Soon enough, in 1929, Johnson earned her pilot’s licence and a few months later, having also learned about aircraft mechanics, received her licence as a ground engineer, the first of its kind awarded to a woman. De Havilland saw an opportunity to forge their young apprentice into a star, readying her for a much publicised venture to beat the 15½-day light aircraft solo flight record from Britain to Australia, set by the Australian, Bert Hinkler, in 1928. On 5 May 1930, Johnson departed Croydon airfield for Darwin, Australia, but was hampered on her journey by bad weather and fuel shortages. Despite arriving four days later than Hinkler’s time, her celebrity status was cemented; she was met with rapturous applause and appointed a Commander of the British Empire, as the first solo female pilot to complete the route. This epic flight would remain her most famous, but for the rest of her career the world was glued to stories of her every move, as she made ever more daring attempts to

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